The Homeless Period Project, which was founded in 2015, collects and distributes menstrual hygiene products to those in need while educating and advocating to end the stigma of menstruation. During the coronavirus pandemic that work couldn’t come to a standstill, so the Atlanta chapter of the Homeless Period Project had to adjust to continue serving folks without access to hygiene products.
“The need for hygiene products is always,” said Torrey Linder, the president of the Atlanta chapter of the Homeless Period Project. “However, the financial impact of the pandemic, as well as school being virtual, has definitely increased how many people need this kind of support.”
The group had to change how it received donations and how it distributed products to those in need to protect everyone involved during the pandemic. Instead of holding its usual “packing parties” where volunteers broke up packages of donated products into smaller containers for distribution, the group encouraged people donating to pre-pack the products they were dropping off.
“Friends, donors, and community groups, including Girl Scout troops and school Beta Club members, have stepped up to answer the need,” said Linder.
The Atlanta chapter also started working with food distribution centers to get their products to those who needed them.
“The goal of the Homeless Period Project is to change the world one community at a time by creating awareness and delivering menstrual hygiene products to those in need. Where the value of that work has been so clear to me is when we make deliveries and interact with the members of a local community,” said Linder. “You see that this support really matters to the community and to individual families.”
Who’s helping?
The Homeless Period Project
Services: The Homeless Period Project provides menstrual hygiene products to those in need while educating and advocating to end the stigma of menstruation.
Where to donate: Visit homelessperiodproject.org to donate. There you can find information on how to host a product drive, packing party or find a link to our Amazon wish list for donations.
How to get help: Contact atlanta@homelessperiodproject.org.
If you are involved in or know of an organization working to bring relief to the Atlanta community during the coronavirus pandemic OR you are with an organization with supplies that you don’t know where to donate, please email us at Shannon.n.Dominy@gmail.com.
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