Nonprofit helps women struggling to afford feminine hygiene products

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jan Healy is a member of the Women’s Giving Alliance. A year and a half ago she learned women in northeast Florida were struggling to get feminine hygiene products.

“Many people don’t think to donate tampons and pads to agencies, you know, they donate clothing but they don’t donate period products,” Healy said.

Healy found out that those women who couldn’t afford the products were forced to use unsafe and unsanitary options.

That’s why she created the nonprofit Renewing Dignity to help create awareness about the problem.

Her organization partners with Feeding Northeast Florida to raise money and purchase period products for low income women.

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“And surprisingly, period supplies are not covered by SNAP food stamps,” Healy said.

She told Action News Jax that 100,000 women in the area don’t have access to pads and tampons because they can’t afford those products.

Over the weekend, Renewing Dignity helped more than 200 families at the Regency Mall get the products they need.

Healy told us one in four women are struggling to purchase period products and one in five women miss school or work because they don’t have pads or tampons.

"We just believe that all women deserve the dignity of having these essential products. Having a period is not a choice, we have it and they’re not luxury items, these are items that are really a necessity," she said.

It's her hope to one day end period poverty.

If you would like to get involved and help Renewing Dignity with their mission, click here.

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