Period poverty

Preventing BY STACIE GAETZ period poverty

Heather Clifford is determined to end period poverty in Airdrie.

Clifford was recently made aware of the cause when a Calgary radio station was collecting money and feminine hygiene products for those in need.

“I truly had no idea how many people were going without; how many people were having to make the choice to possibly take food items off of their grocery list just to be able to afford essential pads or tampons,” she says.

“There’s a stigma that comes with talking about periods and the only way to overcome this is by talking about them some more.”

To this end, Clifford founded Airdrie Operation Period to provide essential period products to anyone in need, while also taking the stigma away from periods in general and the shame that so many associate with it.

“Does saying period, pads or tampons make you uncomfortable?” Clifford asks.

“Great! Let’s keep talking about it until it doesn’t. Have you ever had a boss, teacher, coach, loved one comment that ‘You must be on your period’ to excuse away a comment or behaviour? It is time for us ‘period pals’ to band together and empower each other.”

The cause is gaining attention. Airdrie Operation Period recently collected more than 4,000 feminine hygiene products after a single social media post.

Clifford has now partnered with the Airdrie P.O.W.E.R. Women’s Day Shelter to allow access to these products for anyone visiting the shelter as well as using the shelter as a pickup location for anyone that is not affected by abuse or violence, but that cannot otherwise afford these products.

“We want this initiative to provide these products to anyone, at any time, with no questions asked,” says Clifford.

Crystal Boys, president and founder of Airdrie P.O.W.E.R., says Clifford’s determination to the cause is inspiring.

“She is working with the women’s shelter to ensure she can reach everyone in need,” says Boys.

Clifford adds that she will also be reaching out to middle and high schools to provide a bin of products to be accessed at any time without the need to ask.

“This initiative is important to me because it is an essential need, and it should be important to everyone,” says Clifford.

“I don’t care if you are a woman, a transgender man or non-binary person. If you get a period, you should have access to sanitary products – period. Period products are essential and should not only be available to those that can easily afford them.”

She adds that her goal is to create an overabundance of these supplies.

“If you are someone fortunate enough to not have to worry about access to these products, then I hope that it sparks a conversation that begins to normalize periods and remove the shame that so many associate with menstruation,” Clifford adds. life

There’s a stigma that comes with talking about “ periods and the only way to overcome this is by talking about them some more”