This Colorado Gives Day, Help Break Period Barriers in Boulder County
My name is Hillary Fine, and I am the Board President of PridePads Africa, where our mission is to ensure that every person can manage their menses in a comfortable, safe, and dignified way. In addition, we believe that menstrual health and hygiene are fundamental pillars on the path toward achieving gender equality. While much of our work at PridePads focuses on educating and providing supplies to girls in Cameroon, we recognize that period poverty is a global issue affecting women and girls worldwide, including here in Colorado.
I’m writing today to invite you to join me this Colorado Gives Day in supporting the local Boulder Free Period Pantry with either physical or monetary donations. This past November, PridePads Africa celebrated the grand opening of our first Free Period Pantry at the YWCA Boulder County. This pantry operates like a "Little Free Library," providing 24/7 access to free menstrual products—pads and tampons—donated by the community. Our pantry is there to encourage those in need to "Take what you need—with pride."
This Free Period Pantry is a critical step in bringing PridePads’ global mission home to our local community, while promoting dignity, sustainability, and care through this important partnership.
Period Poverty Affects Women & Girls All Around the World
We welcome your support to help women and girls who feel the effects of period poverty right here in Boulder County access period products not covered by government assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC. Furthermore, food pantries and shelters receive very few period product donations, leaving low-income women with limited resources to manage their period. The unfortunate reality is that countless women must forgo or ration food to purchase necessary menstrual supplies.
If you’d like to support women and girls in Boulder County, please visit our fundraising page for more information.
In addition, there are other, non-monetary ways to be part of the change:
- Start the conversation: Let’s normalize talking about periods by having open, honest conversations that help shatter the stigma around menstrual hygiene and foster understanding.
- Advocate for progress: Speak up! Now is the time to reach out to your local leaders and policymakers. Ask them to support free period products in schools, remove taxation on menstrual supplies, and work to ensure comprehensive menstrual health information for all.
- Support the Movement: There’s no one “right way” to help - you can donate, share our mission on social media, or attend an event. Your involvement helps build a more period-friendly world.
We also have another exciting partnership to share: Two Sole Sisters, a woman-owned business on Pearl Street in Boulder, will generously donate 10% of all in person and website sales made December 12th through 14th to PridePads Africa!
A Downtown Boulder staple since 2008, Two Sole Sisters has been bringing the women of Boulder County high quality artisan footwear encompassing both style and comfort. They also offer a curated selection of women's accessories, including handbags as well as unique small batch jewelry and gifts. If you are purchasing from www.twosolesisters.com, please mention “PridePads Africa” in the “special instructions for seller” box on the checkout page.
During this holiday season put your dollars to work by supporting both small local businesses and non-profits.
Thank you for considering helping the PridePads Africa team to provide vital menstrual health education in Cameroon, as well as support to women and girls in Boulder County!
To learn more about PridePads Africa, please visit our website. If you’d like to receive updates about our work, you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
With heartfelt appreciation,
Hillary Fine
Board President of PridePads Africa