For too many people, menstruation is not just a natural part of life—it’s a barrier. Across our communities, individuals who menstruate struggle to access essential period products, forcing them to make difficult choices: food or tampons? Rent or pads? No one should have to decide between basic necessities, yet period poverty remains a reality for many.
Period poverty is more than just a lack of access to menstrual products. It’s about the stigma and shame that prevent open conversations, leaving those affected feeling isolated and unsupported. It’s about students missing school, employees missing work, and individuals resorting to unsafe alternatives because they cannot afford proper hygiene products.
The stigma surrounding menstruation has existed for centuries, creating an environment where people feel embarrassed to ask for help. But periods are a fact of life, not a luxury. Addressing period poverty means dismantling this stigma and ensuring everyone has access to the products they need with dignity and without shame.
That’s why United Way Centraide North East Ontario, in partnership with the Canadian Labour Council, the Sudbury and District Labour Council, and the North Bay and District Labour Council, is leading the charge with the Period Promise campaign. This initiative encourages businesses, workplaces, and community organizations to hold collection drives to supply much-needed period products to local agencies that support people in need.
When we talk about period poverty, we’re talking about equity. We’re talking about making sure no one has to miss out on life simply because they menstruate. By taking action—whether through donations, hosting a collection drive, or simply starting a conversation—we can break down the barriers that period poverty creates.
Menstrual products are necessities, not privileges. It’s time to end the stigma, and male the #PeriodPromise to ensure that everyone in our community has access to the basic products they need to live with dignity.
Join the movement. Be part of the Period Promise.