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CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble Co.’s Always feminine hygiene brand and partners including Walmart have renewed the #EndPeriodPoverty campaign to help girls grow in confidence and reach their full potential.
The partners want to triple the number of feminine care products donated “so no girl misses out on the confidence-building activities she loves because of lack of access to period products.”
After donating 500,000 pads last year, P&G’s Always feminine hygiene brand expects to donate 1.5 million pads in 2020, the company said in a January 7 press release.
Always is working with America’s Promise Alliance, the nation’s largest network dedicated to improving the lives of children and youth, to help distribute period products to local extracurricular organizations nationwide.
“At Always, we’ve been committed to championing girls’ confidence for over 35 years with puberty education programs and by providing access to period products to those in need,” said Hesham Tohamy, vice president feminine care at Procter & Gamble. “With the continued support from Walmart, now parents, teachers, coaches and everyone in our communities, can help us do more for girls across the country.”
A promotional walmart.com page supports the campaign.
“Research has shown that nearly one in five girls in the U.S. missed school because they don’t have access to the products they need to manage their periods. But it’s not just class time they miss. When girls miss school, they also miss out on activities they love, like sports and clubs, which can ultimately have a huge impact on their overall confidence,” according to the release. “The skills and confidence gained from extracurricular activities impact kids far beyond puberty and help support their long-term success.”
At puberty, girls’ confidence plummets, Always noted in the release. “Her first period often marks the lowest point of confidence during her teenage years, and having to miss school because of a lack of access to period products only makes this drop in confidence worse.”
Actor and writer James Van Der Beek is helping to promote the campaign.
“As a dad to four girls and a son, I wanted to bring awareness to an issue that most men rarely think about and inspire other fathers to take an active role in tackling it. Period poverty is happening in our own communities, and the effects are far-reaching. No child should have to miss out on crucial childhood activities because they don’t have access to period products,” Van Der Beek said. “When I was young, extra-curricular activities like drama not only gave me an outlet, they saved my life. And led to a career. So I’m thrilled to do whatever I can to chip away at the stigma surrounding this subject, spark conversations, and help increase access to period products so that girls can stay involved in the confidence-building activities they love without fear or needless shame. Join us, and together we can make a big impact.”
