Authored by | Simply the Basics team

Every day there are a number of hygiene products we use to be healthy and feel our best. You brush your teeth, wash your face, and comb your hair (unless it’s curly, like mine, then you sort of just let it do its thing!). But every month, many of us have an extra-special hygiene product that is critical to our physical and mental health and without it, simply getting through the day or week would be devastating. 

If you haven’t already guessed, I am talking about menstruation and the products that are necessary for each menstrual cycle. For over 16.9 million who menstruate and are living with limited income in the United States, almost half of them sometimes have to choose between purchasing food or menstrual products. A decision that will not be made lightly, but typically food will be the priority, leaving our menstrual health up to chance.

Our neighbors experiencing homelessness are already living with the challenges that come with survival and hard financial decisions, and menstruation, a natural and inevitable process many of our bodies go through, can deeply add to those challenges as a person navigates to find a pad or tampon at the time they need them most (which is often a surprise!). In addition to accessing pads and tampons, finding access to privacy, clean water for showering, hand cleansing, laundry, or the additional products that may be needed for pain relief are all needs associated with a monthly menstrual cycle.

When that day every month comes, millions of people in our communities are forced into making makeshift menstrual care products that can be harmful to their physical and mental health. From toilet paper to napkins, socks, or even plastic bags, many are unable to bleed hygienically or with dignity due to not being able to afford menstrual care. Risking the chance of ending up with stains on their only pair of pants and underwear, finding a place to shower and clean your clothes is more than just a hassle, it can feel impossible. The emotional weight that follows lack of access can be associated with elevated anxiety, depression, and poor overall mental health. Not only can these products affect the way someone feels about themself, but they can put people at higher risk for urogenital infections, UTIs, and irritations in some of our most sensitive areas.

Simply the Basics works to bring awareness to these topics in the hopes that one day menstrual care will be a part of government benefit programs and everyone will have access to these most basic needs. You can watch Simply the Basics speak to Paint it Red, an advocacy organization in India talk about the importance of menstrual care during their series of Crimson Conversations in the video below.

Unfortunately, menstrual equitability is a goal not yet achieved and currently 1 in 10 menstruating students will miss school due to not having the proper menstrual care they need to succeed and show up for class. Many of Simply the Basics’ Nonprofit Receiving Partners are schools, so we work to ensure students are empowered to show up for their studies with the supplies they need to be successful.

To help ensure more of our community has access to menstrual care, Simply the Basics provides grants to Hygiene Bank Members specifically for Menstrual Care. Visit the grant page to see if you are eligible for any open grant opportunities!