Period Promise - United Way Alberta Capital Region

Period Promise

Monthly menstruation products are a necessity, but for some people, they can be hard to come by.

Period Promise hero image

Contact

Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Contact Brent Guidinger

How United Way is addressing Period Poverty

Period poverty is a complex issue with multiple factors. These include being unable to afford products, little to no access to washrooms, limited laundry services, stigma due to gender identity, and shame around menstruation.

Almost one quarter of people who menstruate in Canada say they have struggled to afford menstrual products for themselves or their children. And when people don’t have menstrual products, they miss school, work, or other opportunities to contribute to their community.

But United Way is here to help.

Period Promise is a multi-faceted approach to address period poverty in our communities. By working with governments, businesses, schools, and other organizations, we can move the dial and provide access to period products while also busting stigma.

United Way’s Period Promise initiative is tackling period poverty by providing free period products in schools across the region; collecting and distributing period products to our agency partners; and working with our corporate partners to educate and empower them to erase period poverty in their own workplaces.

But we can’t do it alone. By uniting with our neighbours, local businesses, schools, and community organizations, we can support people in need by making sure they can access basic needs, like period products.

Essential for Education

With funding from the Government of Alberta, United Ways across the province are partnering together to provide period products in schools, while also addressing the barriers and stigma associated with menstruation.

Learn More

 

Alberta Blue Cross is pleased to sponsor Period Promise, an initiative led by the United Way of the Alberta Capital Region. Period Promise aligns with our commitment to advancing health and gender equity, by ensuring free access to menstrual products in the school system, through social service agencies and other organizations as well as employers.

Take Action

Throughout the year, many individuals host product drives for United Way that the public can participate in.

Host a Product Drive

A product drive is an excellent way to support United Way and the local agencies we work with, while also connecting with coworkers, customers, and your community.

Register your Product Drive

Make a Period Promise

Sign our pledge and commit to supplying free period products—in all washrooms—at your workplace.

Sign the Pledge

Donate

By making a monetary gift, you will help provide period products to meet urgent needs in our community.

 

 

Period Promise Statistics

In Canada, menstruation is one of the top two reasons why people who menstruate miss work. The inability to access period products is a contributing factor. The stigma around menstruation is complex, subtle, and pervasive, but normalizing access to menstrual products can help break the taboo.

34% make budget sacrifices

In 2019, about 34 percent of people who menstruate in Canada had to “often” or “occasionally” make budget sacrifices to afford menstrual products.

1/4 struggle to afford products

Almost one-quarter of people who menstruate in Canada say they have struggled to afford menstrual products for themselves or their children.

70% have missed out

Studies have found that women who menstruate feel that their period prevents them from fully participating in social activities and up to 70 percent say they have missed school or work because of their period.

In-School program supported by

Host a Product Drive

A product drive is an excellent way to support United Way and the local agencies we work with, while also connecting with coworkers, customers, and your community.

Register