This January, Always is working with James Van Der Beek (actor, writer, husband and devoted father of five) to continue their mission to #EndPeriodPoverty – so no girl misses out on the confidence-building activities she loves because of lack of access to period products. Last year, Always donated 500,000 pads. This year – with help from people across the country and in collaboration with America’s Promise Alliance – they want to triple that to reach 1.5 MILLION pads!
Research has shown that nearly 1 in 5 girls in the U.S. have missed school because they don’t have access to the products they need to manage their periods. But it’s not just class time they miss. When girls miss school, they also miss out on activities they love, like sports and clubs, which can ultimately have a huge impact on their overall confidence. The skills and confidence gained from extracurricular activities impact kids far beyond puberty and help support their long-term success.
At puberty, girls’ confidence plummets. Her first period often marks the lowest point of confidence during her teenage years, and having to miss school because of a lack of access to period products only makes this drop in confidence worse. The more people take action, the more can be done to help #EndPeriodPoverty so that lack of access to period products never stands in the way of a girl reaching her full potential.
“As a dad to four girls and a son, I wanted to bring awareness to an issue that most men rarely think about and inspire other fathers to take an active role in tackling it. Period poverty is happening in our own communities, and the effects are far-reaching. No child should have to miss out on crucial childhood activities because they don’t have access to period products,” said Van Der Beek. “When I was young, extra-curricular activities like drama not only gave me an outlet, they saved my life. And led to a career. So I’m thrilled to do whatever I can to chip away at the stigma surrounding this subject, spark conversations, and help increase access to period products so that girls can stay involved in the confidence-building activities they love without fear or needless shame. Join us, and together we can make a big impact.”
Last year, the Always #EndPeriodPoverty program kicked off in Florida, where they partnered with a local martial arts studio that serves girls in need. You can watch the girls’ firsthand experience with period poverty, and how Always and Walmart’s donation helped them to overcome, here.
This year, Always wants to triple that donation and provide activity leaders, parents and guardians with information on how to help girls across the US stay in the activities that build their confidence and bring them joy.
“At Always, we’ve been committed to championing girls’ confidence for over 35 years with puberty education programs and by providing access to period products to those in need,” says Hesham Tohamy, Vice President Feminine Care Procter & Gamble. “With the continued support from Walmart, now parents, teachers, coaches, and everyone in our communities, can help us do more for girls across the country. Together we can help #EndPeriodPoverty so girls don’t miss out on the confidence-building activities they love because of lack of access to period products.”
Join Always, Walmart and actor James Van Der Beek to help #EndPeriodPoverty and keep girls in the activities they love. Here’s how customers can help during the month of January 2020:
- Watch the #EndPeriodPoverty video on www.walmart.com/always and Always will donate one pad to a girl in need, up to a total donation of 1 million pads!
- Engage with any of James Van Der Beek’s #EndPeriodPoverty social posts by commenting, sharing and/or retweeting, and Always will donate a month’s supply of pads to girls in need, up to half a million pads.
To learn more about the campaign, watch the #EndPeriodPoverty video and download the puberty education and confidence tips, go to www.walmart.com/always.
