ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Organizations around the Lehigh Valley are coming together to end period poverty in Allentown.
Menstrual products are not always available and some struggle to afford them.
"It's important for people to understand what's going on with their bodies as well as have available products so that they can participate in whether it's social events, work, all of that,” said Belle Marks, Allentown Health Bureau's associate director for personal health.
“Pads were the number one most requested product and then tampons."Erin Barron, clinical services manager, Allentown Health Bureau
A survey conducted by the bureau found that women in the community don’t always have access to period products, such as pads or tampons.
"Respondents have skipped class, work, social and other events because they had no products, and I think there was a sense that there ought to be more access to period products,” Marks said.
During the month of May, the health bureau along with Lehigh Valley Health Network are collecting sanitary hygiene products and distributing them where they see a need.
“We have them here in our lobby, in packages, some with pads and tampons, some with just pads," said Erin Barron, Allentown Health Bureau's clinical services manager.
"And then we also take them out into the community to folks who need them, share them with the school district, share them at some of the day programs in the area."
Barron said people come in almost every day for products, so those looking to donate can drop off products in the lobby at any time.
“Pads were the number one most requested product and then tampons,” she said.
Partnering for products
Allentown partnered on its Menstrual Equity Project with Lehigh Valley Health Network and Valley Health Partners.
"The groups are working on a Menstrual Equity map for the city," Dr. Ashwini Kamath Mulki of LVHN Family Medicine and Valley Health Partners Family Health Center said.
"It will be a simple map for menstruators to locate free period products and for anyone in the community to donate sanitary products to support this cause."
LVHN is collecting donations at Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th Street at 1627 W. Chew St., and Allentown Health Bureau is collecting at its Sixth and Chew streets location.Allentown Health Bureau
Under her mentorship, the initial phase was led by a group of medical students from the University of South Florida.
The students reached out to community organizations in Allentown, gathering interest in being potential future period product distribution and donation sites, and created a map.
"This also helped the collaborative grow and assisted with expanding community awareness," Mulki said.
"We, Allentown Health Bureau, LVHN and VHP, are currently working on updating the map to have active sites pinned for free period product pick-up and donation drop-off."
She said organizers plan to create a QR code to add to a printout of the maps with the free period products — "So that menstruators have access to additional sites in the future," she said.
LVHN is collecting donations at Lehigh Valley Hospital-17th Street at 1627 W. Chew St., and Allentown Health Bureau is collecting at its Sixth and Chew streets location.
'Very appreciative'
Health bureau organizers said turnout for the initiative has been slow so far, but the organizations that receive them are grateful for whatever products they get.
“Our partners at the Allentown School District, they're very appreciative of the donations to support their students," Barron said.
"These are again very expensive products. There are a large amount of students in each school. So it's been very helpful to them because these are very expensive.”Erin Barron, Allentown Health Bureau's clinical services manager
"These are again very expensive products. There are a large amount of students in each school. So it's been very helpful to them because these are very expensive.”
The initiative coincides with the first ever World Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28, and May is Menstrual Health Awareness Month.
On a statewide level, Gov. Josh Shapiro's administration is calling for $3 million in the upcoming state budget to provide menstrual hygiene products in schools at no cost to students.
“Gaps in women’s health care too often hurt low-income families and communities of color,” read a statement from the governor's office.
First lady Lori Shapiro, the executive director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Women, and the executive director of the Governor's Advisory Commission on Next Generation Engagement, recently came together with advocates, nonprofit leaders, medical professionals, researchers, teachers and students to learn more about how they are working toward menstrual equity in Pennsylvania.
