Several local organizations are partnering up to distribute tampons and sanitary napkins to women throughout Pima County living in poverty.

Many women and girls in this community cannot even go to work or school when they get their period, because they cannot afford these products—which are quiet expensive, are taxed by state and local governments as "luxury" items, and not covered by food stamps. "This is both a health and economic issue," the YWCA says in a press release.

Project Period—to be launched by the YWCA of Southern Arizona tomorrow, Dec. 9, plans to tackle this issue starting next month, and they need you to donate feminine hygiene products. 

A statement to the media by Kelly Fryer, CEO of the YWCA:

This is an economic and equity issue that hinders the efforts of many women to provide for themselves and their families. It encumbers young women from getting to school and keeps them from their education—an education that will help them escape poverty. Project Period is a way to step up as a whole community—men and women both—to address this pressing problem.

Donations of sanitary napkins of all sizes, tampons, and reusable menstrual cups will be accepted at the YWCA's Frances McClelland Community Center, 525 N. Bonita Ave., starting tomorrow. Other locations will be announced in January. The launch event is taking place tomorrow at the YWCA as well, from 10 to 10:30 a.m.

Emerge! Center for Domestic Abuse, Primavera Foundation, Tucson Interfaith HIV/AIDS Network, and the Southern Arizona Community Food Bank are among the groups involved in the effort.