For most women, your period is not usually considered a monthly highlight, and you’re probably one of the lucky ones who can run to the corner store for feminine products on the fly. But imagine having to get by on your monthly cycle without easy access to pads, tampons or other feminine hygiene products. Even worse, imagine suffering from heavy bleeding and not having access to the supplies you need. Inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene products and lack of educational resources is the reality for millions of women. Thankfully, there are organizations committed to improving accessibility to menstrual hygiene products, sharing educational resources and establishing menstrual equity for women and girls around the world.

The Myna Mahila Foundation

Recently highlighted as a charity of choice for the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle, the Myna Mahila Foundation is an organization based in India committed to empowering women through discussion of taboo subjects, and improving menstruation challenges in India. The foundation is centered around three pillars: improving menstrual hygiene affordably, generating female employment and building women’s networks. Given the stigma and shame frequently associated with menstruation, the Myna Mahila Foundation aims to improve accessibility of menstrual hygiene products, and resources for women around India.

Support the Girls

Support the Girls collects and distributes donations of new and used bras and sealed packages of tampons and pads to homeless women and girls across North America and in four locations worldwide. The organization’s goal is to prevent women from having to make a choice between paying for meals or buying a box of tampons. In the last 12 months, 135,000 bras and 785,000 menstrual hygiene products have been collected and distributed worldwide.

Simply the Basics

Simply the Basics strives to raise period awareness through its “hygiene bank.” The purpose of the hygiene bank is to ensure that organizations serving the homeless and low-income community always have access to personal hygiene products. Simply the Basics volunteers believe that establishing proper hygiene is key to a sense of self and better health for the homeless population.

Helping Women Period

Helping Women Period is committed to supplying feminine hygiene products to homeless and low-income women through donations to shelters, food banks and homelessness organizations. While it is based primarily in Michigan, there are sister chapters popping up in other states. The founders believe filling the basic need of feminine hygiene products for homeless and low-income women is one key step in helping them become more self-sufficient.

There are tons of organizations doing great work around the globe to supply feminine hygiene products to women in need. You can make a difference by donating boxes of pads and tampons to your local women’s shelter or food bank. And of course, always carry a few extras in your purse in case the girl in the stall next to you happens to have an emergency!

For educational resources on menstrual health, follow Change the Cycle on social media!