The choice between buying period products and essential items like food or a bus pass is one that no person should have to make.

A 2021 study alarmingly reported that half of people who menstruate in British Columbia (BC) have struggled to buy period products. Another report found that 1 in 4 have had to buy other essential items at the cost of the menstrual products that they need.

Period products are not a luxury – when people can’t access them, they end up skipping school and work, resulting in reduced access to education, lost income, and social isolation.

Some communities are more affected, including students, single parents, Indigenous Peoples, those living in rural or remote communities, and those with a disability.

Now, with the threat of tariffs and inflation adding to already increasing cost of living pressures, this issue will continue to worsen if action isn’t taken to address this widespread health gap. Because there continues to be a lot of stigma surrounding menstrual health, it isn’t easy for those experiencing period poverty to ask for help or know where to find it.

How can Period Promise help?

For the past eight years, United Way BC’s Period Promise campaign, presented by Pacific Blue Cross in partnership with CUPE 1816, has taken concrete, impactful steps towards addressing period poverty in our province.

"Access to period products is essential for health, dignity and opportunity. Too many British Columbians face the hidden reality of having to choose between menstrual products and other essentials. Through the United Way BC Period Promise campaign, we're helping remove these barriers. We are proud to continue supporting this campaign and reaffirm our commitment to advancing health, wellbeing, and equity for everyone in BC,” says Sarah Hoffman, President and CEO, Pacific Blue Cross.

We’ve worked together to collect product and monetary donations through the month of May, so that tampons, pads, and other essentials can be distributed for free within communities where they are needed most. In 2024, the campaign collected over 500,000 products and distributed them to more than 130 community partners!

“The United Way BC Period Promise campaign meets a critical need — providing free products to those who need them most and helping frontline organizations across the province. Every donation, no matter the size, makes a real difference by restoring dignity, improving wellbeing, and ensuring no one is held back by something beyond their control," says Beth Miller, President, CUPE 1816.

How can I take part?

British Columbians can take part in the campaign this month by:

• Participating in their organization’s Period Promise campaign.
• Making a monetary donation.
• Organizing a Period Promise campaign to collect menstrual products in their community, school, workplace, or union.
• Volunteering to help get period products to those in need.

Help end period poverty in BC. Learn more at iwbc.cca/periodpromise