Pima County hosting menstrual product drive May 24-28

TUCSON, Ariz. (KOLD News 13) - Several groups across Pima County are hosting a menstrual product drive from Monday-Friday, May 24-28 in honor of Period Poverty Awareness Week.

County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva and the District 5 office are collaborating with the YWCA of Southern Arizona and the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona to host the drive.

“We are excited to partner with Supervisor Grijalva and the Diaper Bank to address the disparity in access to menstrual products, which are a basic human need to those who menstruate,” said Magdalena Verdugo, CEO of YWCA Southern Arizona.

“Everyone deserves to live a happy and healthy life, and your period should not get in the way of that,” Supervisor Grijalva said.

During a May 4 meeting, Grijalva read a proclamation that stated that according to Arizona law, “menstrual products are deemed non-essential goods that are essential to the health and economic well-being of menstruators in both overcoming and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

“One in four women have struggled to purchase period products in the past year due to lack of income, which highlights the need for donations as well as long-term changes,” said Dr. Shannon Roberts, the CEO of Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona.

The donation sites are: