KSHB 41 reporter Olivia Acree covers portions of Johnson County, Kansas. Share your story idea with Olivia.
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Three Blue Valley High School students are working to provide menstrual products to women and girls who can't afford them.
The students started the Flow Forward Foundation when they saw the need in their community.
The trio uses social media to educate people on how they can help.
The three students got about 10,000 donations when they held their first drive.
Now, the group is hosting its second product drive.
They hope to collect more donations this year and plan to donate to more organizations, including Giving Hope and Help and KVC Kansas.
The students shared why schools are important to their efforts.
“Where there is poverty, there is period poverty, but it's often a very neglected issue among younger people, like in school," said Trisha Rastogi, Flow Forward Foundation co-founder. “For a lot of girls who don't have access in schools, it sort of leads them to skip school because of the embarrassment and shame associated with it."
The group, which also includes Sarah Ye and Neha Katakamshetty, testified before Kansas lawmakers in favor of bills to remove the "pink tax," which is a burden for those who live in poverty.
Two in five people in the United States have struggled to purchase period products at some point in their lives, so the girls said abolishing the tax is the first step to ending period poverty.
“I think abolishing tampon tax is a little bit more symbolic as to kind of affirm that yes, we are taking steps to address the issue of period poverty," Rastogi said. "It does help alleviate a small financial burden, but it's also the first step in having better policy surrounding the issue of period poverty."
The donation drive ends Wednesday, Dec.11.
Click here for the Flow Forward Foundation Amazon Wishlist.
Here's where you can donate:
- Cosentino’s, 8051 W 160th St, Overland Park, KS 66223
- Hy-Vee, 8900 W 135th St, Overland Park, KS 66221
- Hen House, 6900 W 135th St, Overland Park, KS 66223
- BV Hilltop, 7720 W 143rd St, Overland Park, KS 66223
- UMKC Women’s Center, Haag, 5120 Rockhill Rd Hall Room 105, Kansas City, MO 64110