The members of the Woman Up Club and Royals for Women’s Rights of Hamilton Southeastern High School sponsored a Feminine Product Drive Oct. 1st to Oct. 14.

The purpose of the drive was to collect feminine products, pads, tampons and liners, while spreading awareness around the school about the topic of period product poverty, which is still daily struggle for some females.

“One in five American girls miss all or part of the school day due to their periods,” Woman Up Club member Claire Spudich said. “We as a club found out that financial hardship was a main cause of this growing problem.” 

Both club sponsors and participating teachers had bins in their classrooms for students to leave donations the throughout the two weeks. The collected products were then donated to HamCo Love, a nonprofit organization in Hamilton County that collects and donates feminine products to schools and organizations in need. 

“Unfortunately I’ve noticed that women’s care products are taxed like luxuries and are unattainable and unaffordable,” Woman Up sponsor Kristin Lidstrom explains. “Hopefully the success of this drive will lead to many other opportunities to help and support woman and girls in need.” 

The drive had large turnout that collected over 4,100 feminine care products in support of HamCo Love.  

“When we originally started the goal was accessibility, and I think we definitely achieved that. But in my mind, it grew to be something a little bigger than that. It was about the stigma surrounding talking about periods as well, know we don’t have to ask our friends under the table, we can do it ourselves,” Woman Up President Mrithula Karunamurthy said. “We’re taking control of the things that impact us, and it can be something we want it to be.”