How Knix Fund Recipients Are Using Their Grants to Take a Stand Against Period Inequity
When we say weβre on a mission to inspire people to live unapologetically free, that includes being free of period stigma and the many barriers to accessing menstrual hygiene products.Β
Itβs one thing to amplify the period equity movement and another to put your money where your mouth is β weβre doing both.Β
This year, we launched the Knix Fund: a giving-focused program that provides funding to grassroots organizations, initiatives, and storytellers who are addressing period poverty and striving for menstrual equity for all.Β
The program is inspired by our community and fueled by our passion to build a better tomorrow. Weβve selected six organizations, each of which has received a Knix Fund grant that will further its initiatives.Β
In their own words, hereβs a peek into the important work being undertaken by each organization and how the grants will directly help support diverse communities across North America.Β
Helping Women Period
Helping Women Period started in 2015 after our co-founders noticed the serious need for menstrual products for those living low-income in Michigan. Our mission is ultimately to eliminate period poverty in our state.
For us, this includes encouraging organizations to include products in their budgets, collaborating with lawmakers, eliminating the βtampon tax,β and getting free menstrual products in public buildings. Weβre currently on track to distribute two million products this year alone, with four million distributed since our inception.Β
We emphasize the importance of menstrual health education as a tool to increase menstrual equity. We do this work with a focus on those most marginalized within the period equity space, specifically BIPOC+ and LGBTQ2+ individuals.Β
Weβre thrilled to receive the Knix Fund grant to support the purchase of a delivery vehicle. This will allow us to increase our delivery capacity β and reach both rural and urban areas. We have over 230 charity partners, which have seen a drastic increase in need for our services since the pandemic.Β
We firmly believe that menstrual equity impacts all humans, regardless of gender. Our mission is to create a world where menstrual products are provided to all who need them.
Moon Time Sisters
Moon Time Sisters (MTS) is a volunteer-led organization supporting Northern menstruators by collecting and shipping menstrual products to remote communities across Canada where access is limited and costs are prohibitive. Moon Time Sisters provides menstrual products to these communities completely free-of-cost.Β
Since its humble beginnings in 2017, MTS has grown to include four provincial chapters, partnered with over 65 Northern Indigenous communities, and has shipped over two million period products to high schools, elementary schools, midwifery organizations, health care centers, shelters, food banks, and more.
Moon Time Sisters is the only National Indigenous-led period equity group in Canada. Our work is guided by the sacred Medicine Wheel β a symbol of hope and a movement towards healing that embodies the alignment and cyclical interaction of the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual realities; the interconnectivity of all aspects of oneβs being.Β
Our goals include improving access to period products to those who menstruate in Indigenous communities, advocating for Indigenous rights, educating non-Indigenous communities about Indigenous resilience and reconciliation, and amplifying Indigenous voices and movements.Β
The Knix grant will help us with purchase and shipping costs that come with sending items north. Our goal is to send up another million products in the following year, which this grant will support us in doing. We want our community to know that everyone is welcome and that we support all menstruators.Β
United Way British Columbia
United Way's Period Promise campaign has been running since 2017, when we ran our first collection campaign effort in British Columbia. Since then we've become more engaged in the work needed to increase access to free menstrual products in our community.Β
This work fits directly into our organization's vision of building a healthy, caring, and inclusive community because it helps us address an often-invisible barrier that prevents people from fully engaging with our community.Β
We've been able to mobilize partners, donors, and governments to make meaningful changes in policy and help shift the conversation about menstrual justice in British Columbia. United Way's Period Promise campaign focuses on building collective knowledge of period poverty and mobilizing our power to reduce the issue.Β
We do this through research, capacity building, policy advocacy and government relations, and collecting and distributing menstrual products to community organizations who offer front-line support to vulnerable members of our community.Β
Our commitment is to an intersectional approach that is grounded in a network of people trying to make meaningful change in solidarity with each other. We do this by working with activists, unions, community organizations, charities, governments, and Indigenous partners.Β
The guide that we will be able to make with the support of the Knix Fund will make it easier for us to talk to folks about menstruation in a wide variety of languages by being image-heavy (as opposed to text-heavy), and will hopefully be accessible to new audiences by containing culturally meaningful stories about menstruation.
#HappyPeriod
I'm an Alabama born girl who got her first period at age 10 with the support of all of the matriarchs in my family. I truly wish to simply share the experience I had when I got my first period.
The intention of #HappyPeriod is to uplift the thoughts, feelings, and experiences surrounding your menstrual cycle. One of the affirmations we teach is "MY BODY IS ALSO MY HOME." Through our program, a participant will have a chance to break down, then build their own beliefs about menstruation and receive empowerment to be an advocate for their own bodies.
At #HappyPeriod, we understand that knowledge is power, as is body autonomy. We're creating safe spaces for young people with periods to learn, observe, and simply talk about their bodies β especially their periods. Reproductive health education and racial health equity are also central to our mission.Β
For example, donating or giving someone a pad, tampon, or cup and not sharing details on directions, cleansing, or disposal just isn't in alignment with menstrual equity or empowerment. Yes, we're fighting for menstrual equity, however self-esteem and self-efficacy is the glass we're really pouring into.Β
The Knix fund will help us bring our program into more areas within Los Angeles county. We're hoping to provide our FLOW program to students in all six districts, implementing our curriculum and workshop in various school districts.
The Period Purse
The Period Purse works towards menstrual equity by ensuring sustainable access to period products for all, and by ending the stigma associated with periods through education and advocacy.Β
We were founded in 2017 by Jana Girdauskas when, as she was driving to work, she saw someone experiencing homelessness and thought, "What does this person do during their period?"Β
To date, The Period Purse has donated over four million period products. Through our free education program weβve also educated 4,000 people on period equity. The Period Purse has also had a hand in advocating for long lasting change with all three levels of government.Β
The Knix Fund grant will allow The Period Purse to grow its outreach and education programming in response to increased demand. Despite increasing our outreach of period products by 300% in 2022, we are still only meeting 12% of requests. We have also had an increase in need for education among youth across Ontario.Β
We keep working towards our vision for menstruation to be understood and treated with dignity β and for period products to be free for all. We believe that all genders need to be involved in learning about menstruation to help reduce the stigma of periods. When we all learn more, we can create change and strive for menstrual equity.
For Women By Women, Period
For Women By Women, Periodβs mission is to serve menstruating individuals who experience homelessness by providing care packages and education on menstrual hygiene.
As a non-profit fighting period poverty, we want to provide care packages that consider every aspect of menstruation, instead of only acknowledging the bleeding aspect. We also want to create an environment that educates everyone β especially young menstruators β about menstruation.Β
Along with distributing menstrual products, we strive to educate everyone about periods and feminine reproductive diseases. Weβve even created a youth program with curated workshops that facilitate open conversations about different topics surrounding periods.Β
Our distribution efforts have expanded tremendously since we first started in 2021. To date, weβve distributed 98,000 menstrual products, servicing nearly 8,000 menstruators in the NYC area.Β
Our organization is comprised of a diverse group of young women, which allows us to foster culturally diverse conversations and experiences about menstruation.Β
The Knix Grant will allow us to continue workshops within our youth program. Our hope is that these workshops will create change among future generationsβ perceptions and understandings of menstruation, eliminating the stigma young people feel when discussing this topic.
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It would be an understatement to say weβre thrilled to be supporting these organizations in their accessibility, affordability, educational, and advocacy efforts.Β
Stay tuned for more Knix Fund updates, as we check-in with each organization to see the tangible progress they make in pursuit of period equity for all.
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