By Freda Freeman
Correspondent
RALEIGH – Many people cannot fathom not having the day-to-day necessities of life, yet that is a reality for women and girls who cannot afford basic hygiene products. According to the Alliance for Period Supplies, 1 in 3 low-income women and teenage girls miss days from work and school because they don’t have period products.
“When I got up this morning, I had access to hot water. I took a shower, brushed my teeth, I had a washcloth. Not having access to those hygiene products is a direct correlation to mental health; it is a direct correlation to confidence, it is a direct reflection of being able to feel good about yourself every day,” said Shirnetta Harrell, founder and executive director of the Raleigh-based nonprofit The No Woman, No Girl Initiative.
NWNG provides basic daily essentials to women, girls and families who are in transition – living in a shelter or with friends – or going through a crisis like a medical emergency, domestic violence or facing eviction. The organization provides up to a 45-day supply of menstrual products, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, soap and other toiletries. Since its inception in February 2021, NWNG has served more than 3,500 women, girls and families. This year’s goal is 4,000.
“When we’re out in the community and I see a mother who has an immediate relief from not having to purchase hygiene products, when I see a grandmother who might have custody of her grandchildren and she’s in tears because she was short on money for the month, when I see a woman come off the street who asks if she has to purchase a washcloth, those are the things that fill me,” Harrell said. “Those are the moments when I know what we are doing is needed and what we are doing is far beyond just simply giving somebody a bar of soap. We are actually giving people hope.”
The number of women and girls who needed help magnified during the pandemic, as did their needs, said Harrell, who is a social worker. Although many of the families she works with receive benefits through WIC, the federal and state supplemental nutrition program for low-income mothers, Harrell said those benefits do not cover feminine products.
Katie Landi, who works in the nonprofit sector, said having everyday necessities impacts one’s social determinants of health.
“Children not being able to go to school because they don’t have period products or people not being able to go to work, thus reducing their income, it’s all connected,” she said.
Nyteisha Bookert, Shaw University assistant professor of computer science, supports NWNG because it bridges a gap between women’s needs.
“I am passionate about increasing the representation of women, especially women of color, in the computing field. However, you cannot focus on career opportunities and pathways with unmet physiological needs,” she said. “Menstrual product prices are constantly increasing, and with the added tampon tax, they are not affordable.”
Women and girls find out about NWNG through referrals and community outreach. NWNG works with over 15 agencies throughout the Triangle area, including case managers and social workers, and the organization responds within 24 to 48 hours.
NWNG held its second annual Bringing H.O.P.E. Women’s Day event on March 16. H.O.P.E. is an acronym for Hygiene Outreach Partnership and Education. It provided free hygiene essentials, while its partnering agencies contributed clothing, housing, medical and mental health resources.
About 90% of NWNG’s support comes from people hosting donation drives. Harrell asks churches, hospitals, banks and individuals to place a donation box where residents can drop off hygiene products. Additionally, people can make monetary donations and sign up to be a volunteer. For more information: nowomannogirl.org.
