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The most recent Always® Confidence & Puberty Survey reveals that nearly one in five American girls have either left school early or missed school entirely because they did not have access to period products. [1] Missed school equals missed opportunities and a drop in confidence. It’s a simple equation.
The lack of access due to economic factors is often referred to as “period poverty” and it impacts girls and women around the world. It can be especially damaging at puberty, when school interactions are crucial to a girl's development. That’s why Always, the leader in global feminine care, is committed to help #EndPeriodPoverty by sparking conversation and taking action. Teaming up with Feeding America®, a long-standing partner, Always is on a mission to donate an additional 15 million period products [2] this school year through the Feeding America network of food banks through their school pantry programs and other partner programs, which provide food, toiletries and personal care products to kids who are most in need.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with Always in their continued commitment to empowering girls through puberty,” said Catherine Davis, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at Feeding America. “Through our research, we know that many families we serve not only struggle to put food on the table, but also struggle to afford basic non-food household goods including period products. We are grateful for Always and this donation, which is expected to be the single largest donation of period products Feeding America has ever received.”
At puberty, a girl’s confidence plummets [3] , with the onset of menstruation marking the lowest moment for many girls. But the drop in confidence is so much worse for girls that lack access to period protection. It can force her to miss out on important confidence-building activities in the classroom, on the field, in extra-curricular school programs or the lab, and limit her potential far beyond puberty. While lack of access to period products is typically associated with girls in other countries, period poverty isn’t just someone else’s problem. It’s happening right here in the United States.
To shed light on an issue many Americans are unaware of, and chip away at this barrier to girls’ education, Always is joining forces with Gina Rodriguez, actress and passionate advocate for girls’ education.
“I am passionate about empowering women and girls to feel confident and reach their fullest potential through their education, and it hurts my heart that there are so many young women who are not receiving a full education due to a lack of access to feminine hygiene products. I am very proud to partner with Always on their mission to help #EndPeriodPoverty and ensure these young women are not missing critical academic opportunities that are crucial to building a sustainable future.”
For 35 years, Always has been championing girls’ confidence. Always’ Puberty & Confidence education programs reach more than 17 million girls annually and their product access programs have provided more than 80 million pads to girls in need around the world in the past 10 years alone. On top of this, the Always #LikeAGirl movement has been driving societal change to help girls everywhere keep their confidence at puberty and beyond. This new effort to help #EndPeriodPoverty is the brand’s next evolution in its commitment to make puberty a moment that propels girls forward into a confident womanhood.
“Always’ mission is rooted in building girls’ confidence, which we know takes a hit at puberty,” said Jen Davis, President of Global Feminine Care at Procter & Gamble. “Education is a huge driver of girls’ confidence and when we learned that nearly one in five girls in the U.S. are missing school because they don’t have period protection, we saw the need to expand our current efforts. Our goal is not only to help provide access to period products for girls in need, but also spark a national conversation to #EndPeriodPoverty and keep girls focused on reaching their full potential.”