Student volunteers helped to build and distribute Period Promise collection boxes that can be found across campus from now until Friday, May 6. Almost a quarter of Canadian women and girls, and a third of those under 25 years of age, have struggled to afford a basic necessity for themselves or their dependants — menstrual hygiene products.
Brock University’s United Way campaign committee is teaming up with United Way Niagara to fight period poverty by collecting menstrual products for the Period Promise initiative. The community-wide product drive strives to collect tampons, pads, cups and any other unopened menstrual products that will then be distributed to Niagara agencies, food banks and service providers for those in need.
“We know that about a third of Canadian women and girls have had to sacrifice something else in their budget to afford period products,” said Michelle Leone, Program Manager for Brock Recreation and one of the Brock United Way campaign members organizing the Period Promise drive on campus. “For some, those choices can be between period products and groceries or other basic necessities.”
Without proper period products, people who menstruate can face barriers to engaging in community life, missed opportunities and impacts on their well-being.
Research shows almost two-thirds of Canadian women and girls regularly or occasionally miss activities because of their period and concerns about access to proper facilities or period products.
Brock’s United Way campaign committee will be collecting period products from Monday, April 4 to Friday, May 6 in many locations across the University.
Brock community members are asked to bring in unopened menstrual products to help ensure people in need have access to these essential items across Niagara. Donations can be dropped in Period Promise collection boxes at the following locations:
- Brock Campus Store
- Brock Card Office
- General Brock
- Guernsey Market
- Hamilton Campus Security Desk
- Hungry Badger
- Marilyn I. Walker School of Fine and Performing Arts
- Nursing lab in East Academic Building 2
- Rankin Family Pavilion Welcome Desk
- Registrar’s Office
- Student Life Involvement Commons (MCA 204)
- Student Success Centre
- Walker Complex Welcome Desk
For more information, contact Michelle Leone at mleone@brocku.ca
