Help end period poverty in Canada

(NC) Many women are familiar with that awkward moment where they find themselves without a tampon or pad handy and take the risk of using a wad of toilet paper until we can get home. What many of us don’t know from first-hand experience is that for nearly a quarter of Canadian women, not having access to period products when needed is a reality.

If you’ve never heard of period poverty before, you’re not alone. In fact, 78 per cent of people admitted that they were not at all familiar with the term at all in a recent survey. But awareness of this issue is essential, as inadequate access to period products and the struggle to afford them each month can have a devasting impact on the health and wellness of women and girls of all ages.

Without proper access, 14 per cent of Canadian women have been forced to resort to unhygienic alternatives to period products like socks, rags or old t-shirts, and sometimes worse.  
What’s more, 17 per cent said that they’ve had to make the choice between buying a period product and another essential grocery item more times that they can count.

"Availability of period products at local food banks is essential in preserving the dignity of women who should never have to make the choice between food and pads or tampons," says Chris Hatch, CEO of Food Banks Canada. "Your local food bank accepts and encourages donations of period products, so that together we can help bring period poverty in Canada to an end."

Since 2018, the Love You program by Shoppers Drug Mart has supported 50,000 women facing period poverty through the donation of period products.

Together, we can end the stigma surrounding periods and encourage each other to join the movement against period poverty. Please consider carrying the momentum forward and donating period products to your local food bank. Learn more at shoppersdrugmart.ca/periodpoverty.