Local charity to stuff bus full of new donated menstrual products at Tillicum Centre

This weekend, United Way BC needs help and donations to fill an entire BC Transit bus with new, donated menstrual products. 

The goal of the fundraiser is to help curb period poverty via the organization’s Period Promise campaign.

In Canada, around one-in-six people who menstruate have at some point in their lives been unable to afford or access the products they need. 

On Saturday, May 30th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., United Way BC will be at Tillicum Centre collecting donations of new pads, tampons, cups, etc.

The organization says they hope to fill a bus with the physical donations, and will also happily accept financial donations. 

All donated products and funds will be used to purchase menstrual products, which will be distributed through local charity Soap for Hope Canada to those who need them on southern Vancouver Island.

Over the last nine years, United Way BC has collected over four million period products and redistributed them to hundreds of community organizations.

“This has made a huge difference, but the need is great and continues to grow,” reads the United Way BC webpage on their Period Promise campaign. 

“More than 95% of community organizations are asked by their clientele if they provide free menstrual products, or know where they can be found, and more than 80% of the organizations that give them out are dependent on donations from the public through campaigns like United Way Period Promise.”

United Way BC noted that at the event, people can pose for a selfie with their mascot, Seymour the otter, and attendees can enter to win a fantastic prize pack of gift certificates to local experiences.

To learn more about United Way BC’s efforts to end period poverty, check out their Period Promise webpage.