On April 1, 2023, MB Piland is 25 years old.

25 years is a long period of time, punctuated with growth, success, ups and downs and renewals. We’re always looking for ways to make our community better. That’s our purpose. And lately we’ve been learning about something called Period Poverty. It’s a big problem. And we want to do something about it.

Period Poverty is when menstruators don’t have the financial means to purchase what they need to manage their period.

 These products can be expensive and they’re not provided like other basic necessities in restrooms like toilet paper, paper towels and soap. Women face a wage gap, and there’s the additional financial burden of managing what is a basic biological function. It’s a heavier burden on low-income families who sometimes have to choose between food and menstrual products. When they don’t have what they need, they miss out on work, school, activities and opportunities.

As we celebrate 25 years in business, please join us in our Punctuating the Period campaign. We’re collecting menstrual products for Topeka Public Schools. This is our county's largest school district, serving 13,000 students, about half of whom will have to deal with their period while at school—from as early as the 3rd or 4th grade through graduation. 

When you participate in this campaign, more students will be able to fully participate in school and activities.

It's easy.

STEP 1: DONATE

Click this link to go to the online Punctuating the Period giving page. We are currently in Phase 2 of our campaign. Now through the end of 2023, you can choose from a variety of products to give. Items will be shipped directly to Topeka Public Schools each month (when there is at least $500 of product donated).

Packing Party on Friday, March 31.

Phase 1 of our compaign concluded March 17. Product will be shipped to our Topeka office. If you'd like to join us on Friday, March 31 to help with the packing party, sign up here. 

STEP 2: SPREAD THE WORD

Tell your friends about the campaign. Share the link. Put it on your social media channels. Together we can make a real and positive impact on students.

STEP 3: DONATE AGAIN

Period Poverty is a complicated and big issue. The need is ongoing. If you are able to donate more than once, your generosity is appreciated!

STEP 4: LEARN MORE

The first step in solving any problem is education. You can learn more about Period Poverty from these sources:

https://period-action.org/periodpoverty

https://www.joghr.org/article/32436-period-poverty-why-it-should-be-everybo…

https://period.org/uploads/State-of-the-Period-2021.pdf

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1243035/negative-impact-of-period-pover…

An ellipsis shows where words have been left out.

When students don’t have access to period products, THEY get left out: left out of class time, activities and opportunities that can put them behind.

You can help. Join our campaign. Click here to donate.

Women are affected by period stigma and lack of education about menstruation. Menstruation is a basic biological function that over half the global population experiences.

Let’s normalize conversation about it.

You can help. Join our campaign.

Two-thirds of low-income women in the US could not afford menstrual products in the past year, with half needing to choose between menstrual products and food. —source: Period Poverty: why it should be everybody’s business

You can help. Join our campaign.

“At its core, menstruation is a basic biological function that over half of the global population experiences ... This should be the most normalized celebrated thing. And then you look at the reality. It isn't celebrated. It isn't supported. We don't have the best products, and they’re inaccessible. We should live in a period positive culture.”
—Harvard graduate and entrepreneur Nadya Okamoto, founder of August

You can help. Join our campaign.

A lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, waste management and education that affects many women globally, causing physical, mental and emotional challenges. —source: Journal of Global Health Reports

You can help. Join our campaign.

The list is long:

• Wage gap: Women still earn only 83 cents for every dollar a male earns.
• Lifetime cost: Up to $18,000 for the purchase of products to manage your period.
• Unaffordable: Many low-income households cannot afford menstrual products on a regular basis, sometimes choosing food instead.
• Missing out and falling behind: When people don’t have access to the period products they need, they miss school, work and activities that put them behind their peers.

You can help. Join our campaign.

An ellipsis shows where words have been left out.

When students don’t have access to period products, THEY get left out: left out of class time, activities and opportunities that can put them behind.

You can help. Join our campaign. Click here to donate.

Women are affected by period stigma and lack of education about menstruation. Menstruation is a basic biological function that over half the global population experiences.

Let’s normalize conversation about it.

You can help. Join our campaign.

Two-thirds of low-income women in the US could not afford menstrual products in the past year, with half needing to choose between menstrual products and food. —source: Period Poverty: why it should be everybody’s business

You can help. Join our campaign.

“At its core, menstruation is a basic biological function that over half of the global population experiences ... This should be the most normalized celebrated thing. And then you look at the reality. It isn't celebrated. It isn't supported. We don't have the best products, and they’re inaccessible. We should live in a period positive culture.”
—Harvard graduate and entrepreneur Nadya Okamoto, founder of August

You can help. Join our campaign.

A lack of access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, waste management and education that affects many women globally, causing physical, mental and emotional challenges. —source: Journal of Global Health Reports

You can help. Join our campaign.

The list is long:

• Wage gap: Women still earn only 83 cents for every dollar a male earns.
• Lifetime cost: Up to $18,000 for the purchase of products to manage your period.
• Unaffordable: Many low-income households cannot afford menstrual products on a regular basis, sometimes choosing food instead.
• Missing out and falling behind: When people don’t have access to the period products they need, they miss school, work and activities that put them behind their peers.

You can help. Join our campaign.