A basic, self-care need for women and girls are menstrual products. We seldom hear much about accessibility of menstrual products in mainstream media but what we do know is that they are expensive and not usually available at food pantries. There is one organization who’s trying to destigmatize how we think and talk about menstrual products, as well as advocate for and provide free products to any girl or woman who needs them.

Collect The Cotton is a grassroots organization that provides pads, tampons, and toilet paper to people in Cumberland County, Maine. Their product distribution is currently focused on local communities, schools and non-profit organizations, but they have ongoing advocacy efforts that have a far broader reach.

We are excited to work with Collect The Cotton and will continue to collaborate with them throughout 2023 to support this under-represented initiative. Visit their facebook site and learn more about their organization here: https://www.facebook.com/CollecttheCotton/

We love the organization Girls on the Run (GOTR), an initiative that originated in 1996 to inspire all girls to build confidence and make intentional decisions. Through physical activity and meaningful discussions, trained coaches help attendees build social, emotional and physical skills while encouraging healthy habits for life.

GOTR provides positive youth development (PYD) programs for girls of varied ages that seek the additional support and community to nurture self-care and empowerment. The Maine GOTR council has been active since 2012 and has grown to support more than 1300 girls annually. We encourage you to learn more about their organization https://www.girlsontherunmaine.org/