In an effort to meet the many forms of basic needs insecurity, funding will support the Campus Pantry in providing free menstrual cups through distribution days while supplies last. This program seeks to reduce period poverty and its stigma through the dissemination of information on usage and the benefits reusable products have on sustainability efforts. It is the integral mission of the Campus Pantry to provide access to all basic needs, as it should be an inherent part of college life where student success is prioritized foremost.
The main sustainability impact of menstrual cups can be illustrated by a reduction in waste and a reduction in emissions used to make single-use products. According to research, a menstrual cup can replace up to six tampons or pads for every one day of use. Periods normally last from three to seven days, meaning anywhere from 18 to 42 tampons/pads will be eliminated from landfills per cycle with the use of a menstrual cup.
The Campus Pantry is also intentional about their marketing materials and will prioritize gender neutrality of the program in their marketing tactics as well as transparency and recognition of how race and ethnicity play a role in access to menstrual hygiene. By presenting all the information on period poverty, the Campus Pantry wants to empower students to adopt a critical lens on how identities can shape one’s accessibility to satisfying their basic needs on campus and in life. This, in turn, will help support a sense of equity in everyday thinking in the sense that the realization of systemic barriers to social and financial mobility will become more visible.
This project was made possible by a generous anonymous donor and supporter of the Campus Sustainability Fund's mission.
This program has succeeded in distributing over 350 menstrual cups to students. With hours of work put in by both students and staff, they have held 94 distribution days with the help of 12 students.
Tabling events were also held to educate students on period poverty, which included 300 infographics that were printed and distributed to educate folks on the product. This initiative was a success and Campus Pantry hopes to make menstrual cups a permanent option for campus members.
