Let’s talk periods.
When three out of four women aged 18 to 24 feel compelled to conceal their periods in school and workplace environments, it’s a conversation that’s desperately needed.
Although period care has come a long way since your grandma’s era of sanitary belts, there are still major gaps in education access, and stigma surrounding the whole thing.
Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health (SFWH) is committed to fostering health equity for women across Canada through campaigns, partnerships, and programs that fund women’s mental health, menstrual equity, gender-based violence awareness, and women’s health research.
The Pad it Forward campaign is its latest action to improve access to menstrual products and address stigma – and they aren’t doing it on their own. A series of local partnerships across the country is enabling the Foundation to increase access to menstrual products and care for women Canada-wide.
Here’s a closer look.
Moon Time Connections
Moon Time Connections
One such organization is Moon Time Connections (MTC), Canada’s only national Indigenous-led menstrual equity group supporting northern and remote First Nations, Inuit, and Métis (FNIM) menstruators by providing access to products and culturally-grounded menstrual education.
“Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health was the first major funder of Moon Time Connections; its support has been invaluable and its impact profound,” says MTC founder Nicole White.
Moon Time Connections
Menstrual equity barriers faced nationwide are significantly amplified for FNIM menstruators in the north, who also encounter unique challenges not found in urban areas. Since 2017, Moon Time Connections has worked to address this, shipping over 11 million period products to nearly 300 partner community programs in over 190 Northern Communities from coast to coast to coast.
“From funding our first research project, which vitally added the voice of Northern Community to the menstrual equity conversation and provided landmark insights into the experiences of northern menstruators, to supporting the growth of our team, and increasing our capacity, the Foundation has provided a deep level of support that has elevated our work and for which we are grateful.”
Help a Girl Out
Help a Girl Out
Another partnership is with Help a Girl Out (HAGO), a registered charity dedicated to advancing menstrual equity through access to products, providing uterine and menstrual health education for all ages, and empowerment opportunities for women, girls, and people who menstruate.
“HAGO’s number one priority is building programs that are informed by and tailored to the needs of individuals experiencing period poverty or lacking access to adequate menstrual and uterine health education,” explains Yanique Brandford, Executive Director.
“Our programs are grounded in thousands of stories shared by people from diverse races, cultures, and lived experiences, allowing us to address the issues that matter most to the communities we serve.”
Help a Girl Out
Thanks to the support from SFWH, HAGO is developing an online resource hub that will significantly open up access to menstrual education.
“The demand for our work consistently extends beyond one or two sessions, as participants begin to recognize gaps in their understanding and seek continued learning, resources, and support from the HAGO team,” says Executive Director Yanique Brandford.
“This is why HAGO is proud to partner with Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health to help strengthen and expand community-informed programs that provide meaningful, tangible, and culturally responsive resources to individuals impacted by menstrual inequity.”
Take part in Pad it Forward
Shoppers Foundation for Women’s Health
Want to get involved? From May 23 to June 19, customers can donate period products in local Shoppers Drug Mart stores by placing them in the Pad It Forward bin near the front cash.
All items will be given directly to a local organization. Your donations will contribute to making care more equitable and accessible, so that people who menstruate can lead healthier lives.
