Meet Olivia and Annabelle, two Oshkosh West High School seniors who are tackling period poverty in Northeast Wisconsin.
United Way’s connection with these trailblazers began when Olivia volunteered with her mom at a Community Diaper Repack at the United Way Fox Cities Hub. During their volunteer experience, Olivia learned more about the cause.
Like many others, Olivia was surprised to learn that 2 in 5 people have struggled to access period products — and 1 in 3 low-income individuals have reported missing work or school because they couldn’t access necessary supplies.
After volunteering and understanding their impact from repacking period products, care kits, and diapers for our community, this sparked a collaboration with her friend Annabelle who took it upon themselves to combat period
poverty for their neighbors and peers in this community. Olivia and Annabelle organized a drive to collect period products for their Global Scholar Capstone class. They chose to battle period poverty because, in their words, “We didn’t realize there was such a lack of period products and we wanted to help contribute.”
Through this initiative, they not only met a vital community need but also helped break the stigma that surrounds it. Oshkosh Area United Way and United Way Fox Cities helped connect Olivia and Annabelle to local organizations that could further their efforts, including the Monthlies Project, Winnebago Area Literacy Council, Oshkosh Area Schools, and local businesses.
Their message to their peers and to all of us is simple yet powerful: “Be the leader and fight for change in your community when you see an issue.”
WITH YOUR HELP WE CAN
The Period Poverty project helps ensure that individuals in need have access to essential period products required to fully participate in daily life.
Thank you for making an impact on our community!