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RDC Students’ Association takes aim at ‘period poverty’ in Red Deer

Vulnerable clients of several non-profits can access free hygiene products
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Brittany Lausen, RDC Students’ Association president. (Advocate file photo).

The Red Deer College Students’ Association is spreading its campaign to provide free feminine hygiene products from RDC washrooms out into the community.

Vulnerable individuals in Red Deer have greater access to free “period products” after a donation of menstrual pads and tampons from Red Deer College Students’ Association.

During March, association members collected products from the community to alleviate “period poverty” in Red Deer. About $600 worth of essential products were turned in.

“If we can make free period products the norm in our city, then we could potentially eliminate period poverty altogether here, said RDCSA’s vice-president, external, Logan Beauchamp, in a post on Turning Point’s website.

Accepting the donation on behalf of Turning Point, harm reduction coordinator, Erika Bertin, said this will be greatly appreciated by clients.

“Period poverty is real for so many within our community, whether or not society decides to acknowledge it,” said Bertin on the same website. “It may take time, but initiatives like this at least start the conversation rolling in our schools, offices, and homes.”

Clients at The Mustard Seed and Central Alberta Emergency Women’s Shelter (CAWES) also benefited from the donations. And a portion of the products were kept by the association for use for RDC students in college washrooms.

The initiative was inspired by students’ association president, Brittany Lausen, who had wanted the college to provide free products in all RDC washrooms for students. When the college didn’t step, up, the students’ association took action.