Volunteers to assemble period kits for Utah students ahead of summer break

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Hundreds of volunteers will soon join forces with The Policy Project to assemble more than 130,000 menstrual products into kits to ensure that local students have access to these essentials during summer break.

The service event will be happening at the UVU Sorensen Student Center Grande Ballroom on May 7. If you’re interested in joining, RSVP online. There is a $3 registration fee.

According to The Policy Project, one in four girls in Utah cannot afford period products, which is why volunteer projects like these can make a difference. The nonprofit has been lobbying for menstrual equity since 2018, launching The Period Project to bring light to this issue and make impactful changes.

Through their efforts, legislation was passed in 2022 to provide products in girls’ and unisex bathrooms in Utah’s schools. According to a recent survey, this change has been positive, with 55.7% of respondents saying they were now able to participate in school and activities that were previously missed due to access to period products.

But, when school is not in session, The Policy Project said that students may not have access to a reliable supply of products. That’s why the organization is working to put together these kits, each containing 30 pads, 10 tampons, and one menstrual cup.

“In the past few years, we’ve seen incredible momentum in tackling period poverty across Utah,” said Emily Bell McCormick, president of The Policy Project. “Events like this one not only provide thousands of students with period products but also help hundreds of community members feel more comfortable talking about periods—breaking down the stigma and shifting the culture around menstruation.”

The Policy Project states that this service event is happening right before Period Poverty Awareness Week, which runs from May 12 – 18 and highlights the issue of period poverty. May 28 is also Menstrual Hygiene Day, which works to emphasize the importance of proper menstrual hygiene on a global scale.

The Policy Project says this upcoming event is made possible through a generous donation from the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Foundation, nearly 100,000 pads from Aunt Flow, menstrual cups from Days for Girls, and the efforts of hundreds of volunteers.