‘Menstrual Justice in Action’ toolkit helps congregations eradicate period poverty

For little more than a decade, Menstrual Hygiene Day, May 28, has been amplifying hushed conversations on the economic, social and gender injustices menstruating people worldwide face. (The date was chosen to reflect the average 5-day, once every 28-day menstrual cycle.)

This year, United Church of Christ congregations are encouraged to add their voices to those conversations by observing May 26 as Menstrual Justice Sunday.

The Sunday was set aside due to the growing interest among congregations to continue the menstrual justice movement, which was the focus of last year’s General Synod mission project when young and old were invited to assemble 1,000 Church World Service period packs.

In the end, more than 4,257 packs — filled with pads, tampons and other hygiene necessities — were delivered to Church World Service (CWS) warehouses.

“The General Synod project was so well received that we couldn’t forget about it. Providing period packs is a way congregations can continue showing the love of Christ to others,” said Dr. Sherry Warren, UCC minister for Women’s and Gender Justice.

New toolkit available

Helping congregations “show the love,” the Women’s and Gender Justice team recently launched a “Menstrual Justice in Action” Period Pack toolkit. The toolkit includes information on how to assemble a period pack as well as links to resources, statistics and videos for further education.

“We wanted to make it easy for congregations to find what they need,” said Warren.

Warren, along with CWS mission partners, Nick Gliha and Belinda Addae, took a deep dive into the new toolkit during a recent webinar. 

“It’s a chance to be an even greater blessing to individuals who lack access to necessary menstrual supplies like sanitary napkins, tampons and soap. Whether you are making period pack as an individual or hosting a period pack party with your friends, by making these simple kits you will be offering people who menstruate a sense of dignity during the menstrual cycle,” she said.

Warren was inspired to work with her team on the kit after receiving a call from a church inquiring about next steps in the advocacy of menstrual justice.

Rachael Ward, team leader and ministry of human sexuality and justice, also observed that there is “a lot of curiosity” when engaging in period packs discussions. The toolkit, they said, can help shed light on curiosities and questions such as “How do we do this well?” and “Where do we start?”

“The UCC has a polity that gives everyone autonomy. Everyone is at a different awareness level. Pastors know their congregation settings better than we do, and the toolkit can help with the resources they need,” said Ward.

Addressing the cost of kits

Warren was especially excited to share a new option with congregations seeking to assemble period kits that are earth friendly and cost effective.

Church World Service has contracted with a company that will ship congregations all the supplies needed to make the kits. The shipping boxes can then be reused to return the assembled kits. The cost is $180 for materials for 12 kits, which comes to $15 per kit. According to Warren, the CWS Kits Party Packs assure congregations have the right number and correct items needed for a period pack.

“While less fun than shopping for the individual items for the packs, this option allows congregants to engage more in fundraising to purchase the party packs,” said Warren.

Congregations can also contact UCC’s Global H.O.P.E. team, which offers a $250 matching grant to defray the cost of assembling period packs. These grants can be applied to any one of the five kits offered by Church World Service, from school kits to clean up buckets to period packs.

In 2023, Global H.O.P.E awarded 22 churches, across 14 Conferences, $250 grants, resulting in the assembly of 922 period packs. These grants are made possible through the gifts given to the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering.

A mission for all ages

Christina Ables Fairman, a member of St. John United Church of Christ in Freeport, Ill., remembered hearing about the 2023 General Synod period pack project in passing and, while it was something that caught her attention, it was her daughter’s excitement that made her take action.

“She is 12-years-old and very social-justice oriented,” said Fairman. “When I saw her interest, we talked about it. We then took it to our church’s mission group where term ‘period poverty’ was new to some of the folks.”

It wasn’t new to Elliot.

“I knew people who couldn’t afford period items. They’ve missed school for, like, a week or so because of their periods. And it’s just weird that it’s happening in my own community. I wanted to help,” said Elliot Fairman.

The teen continues to encourage adults to start projects that will help people gain access to hygiene products. She is also enlisting the help of her peers to collect period supplies for a community care cupboard located on the side of the church property.

“It’s a place where people who need any hygiene item can go and take it out of the cupboard without anyone knowing,” she said.

Elliot’s mother adds that her daughter also makes sure she has period supplies in her bag ready to give to those in need.

“Even when we are not collecting items for period packs, we can still be addressing period poverty by doing small things like everyone having feminine hygiene products in our bags to hand out or by making sure that all the bathrooms in the church are stocked with such products,” said Christina Ables Fairman.

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