BY GEOFF WEISS
Lifestyle vlogger Ingrid Nilsen, who famously brought to light the fact that 40 states tax tampons and pads as luxury goods in an interview with President Obama earlier this year, is once again using her influence to champion women’s health issues. Nilsen is starring in a PSA for a first-of-its-kind initiative by nonprofit Do Something and feminine hygiene brand U By Kotex dubbed Power To the Period, which aims to help the 3.5 million homeless Americans who have limited access to period products.
Power To the Period represents the first nationwide period product drive, according to Do Something and U By Kotex, and is encouraging participants to run product drives for unopened tampons, pads, and panty liners that will then be donated to local homeless shelters through Sept. 30.
Participants can also enter to win a $5,000 scholarship by uploading a photo of the period products that they have donated—with one entry for every 10 items given. U By Kotex will also donate products to the respective shelters of the drive’s top donors.
“I posted a tweet encouraging people to buy and donate an extra pack of period products to benefit people in homeless shelters,” says Chicago-based law student Holly Sanchez, who was subsequently tapped to serve as project captain for the initiative.