Period Poverty Awareness Week: Milwaukee Diaper Mission packages 500 period kits for those in need

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) - The Milwaukee Diaper Mission is packaging period kits for those in need for Period Poverty Awareness Week.

Stocking up on period products is a necessary part of life. But, not everyone can afford to buy the products to get them through that time of month.

"By putting up a wall around periods we don't even notice along homelessness and food insecurity, you don't realize that person probably can't afford pads or tampons either," Destiny Robinson said.

This week is Period Poverty Awareness Week in Wisconsin. Monday, volunteers came out to the Milwaukee Diaper Mission to pack period kits for those who need them.

"Especially with the price of pads and tampons being so high...you don't realize this person doesn't have 7 dollars to spare only to get four tampons out of a box," Robinson said.

Destiny Robinson is a high school sophomore in Milwaukee. Providing better access to period products is important to her and she helped volunteer to pack kits.

"Right now, we're packing up some to replace the ones that are going out to their homes," she said.

There are multiple kits available including a tampon kit and a pad kit. Each kit comes with 20 items.

"We also offer a reusable period kit that offers cloth pads and silicone cups and reusable underwear," Meagan Johnson said.

Meagan Johnson is the founder of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission. On top of diapers, the organization also supplies about 12,000 period products a month. About 500 kits were packaged on Monday alone.

"Two in 5 menstruators struggle to afford period products due to income so it's a pretty major crisis," Johnson said.

That's why Johnson said it is important to raise awareness this week.

"We want to make sure folks are using sanitary products that are packaged in plastic. A lot of times people have to resort to things like cardboard or toilet paper or clothing to keep themselves clean," Johnson said. "I think when people don't have the means to afford period products, it's difficult for them to ask for help sometimes."