Hygiene Products for the Homeless

The homeless population faces many struggles, some more private than others. We see the effects of drug use, sleeping on the streets, and the tents hanging around town. However, homeless people face private struggles as well. Most women with uteruses have their menstrual cycle around once a month.

Although this may seem like a simple matter, getting access to feminine hygiene products can be a struggle for homeless women. With pads being around $4 a box, and tampons being around $6 a box, this can be costly to those who's every dollar counts. This has lead to women seeking unsanitary or uncomfortable options, such as makeshift tampons with toilet paper or paper/plastic bags and cleaning themselves over the toilet of a public bathroom. This can very well lead to infection. 

(Image courtesy of glamour.com)

Luckily, there are organizations that exist that help with this crises. Here in Portland, there is https://www.period.org/. They help create period packs to help give out to the homeless and those in need. However, we need to ensure that women have access to these products every month. What do you suggest we do about this issue as a society?

Bustle provides a video on a homeless woman's story on how she deals with her period: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABch4VYOJZ0

- Ashley Peters