Menstrual Cups for Houston Homeless

Donation Request:

$4.50 per cup
$9 for 2 cups and carry pouch

Non-exact donations still appreciated! Even if it’s not enough to cover a full cup, don’t worry I’ll cover the rest.

Goals:
1. To provide access to body-safe and environmentally-friendly menstrual cups.
2. To ease the financial and medical difficulties that accompany menstruation, especially for the homeless and impoverished.
3. To increase awareness of safe and reusable menstrual care alternatives.

Why Menstrual Cups?
Pads and tampons are most people’s go-to when it comes to sanitary menstrual products. Unfortunately because they are unregulated, they often cause more harm than good. They often contain harmful chemicals are not body-safe, worsen cramps, and can even cause ovarian cancer.

On top of this, they are made for one-time use. You have to use multiple products a day to avoid infections, so the cost adds up quickly...and so does the environmental impact of the trash it generates. Menstrual cups provide a cheaper and safer alternative because their one-time purchase can last for many years without generating health problems or excessive amounts of trash. They are made with body-safe silica gel without any dioxins or allergic substances, so there’s no concern of toxic shock syndrome or other infections that can occur with regular pad/tampon use. Unlike other reusable menstrual products, these cups are non-porous making them quick and easy to clean. They can be boiled in water, washed with non-scented antibacterial soap, or they can be cleaned with general sex toy cleaners or wipes.

Other benefits of menstrual cups:
-Comfortable leak-free wear for up to 12 hours
-One-time purchase can last for years
-Available in two sizes: pre and post pregnancy
-Inexpensive

How will the cups be distributed? 
While I hope to eventually be able to partner with an organization to aid in the distribution of menstrual cups, this is currently a small scale project. Because of this I want to be able to give DIRECT access to the individuals in need. It can be hard for certain individuals in need to reach out to the volunteer organizations that provide help to the impoverished, so my current goal is to personally go around the Houston area to put these menstrual cups directly into the hands of those who need it. I don’t want to have to make them go through hoops of struggling to find transportation to a certain location to obtain them. Again, I hope to be able to eventually partner with an organization to aid in the fundraising and distribution process, but my current priority is directly helping individuals.

How are the funds going to be used?
All of the money donated will go directly to the purchase of menstrual cups. The cups I am purchasing are the Bodybay menstrual cups available in pack of 2 for $8.99 with free shipping on Amazon. While Amazon isn’t necessarily the best company to support, this specific product provides menstrual cups at $4.50 per unit, one of the cheapest options I’ve come across (most menstrual cups run around $30-40). Even though they are inexpensive, they are still durable and high-quality. This is the brand I personally use and I have never had any issues with them.

100% of the funds will be used exclusively for ordering the cups. In addition to buying additional cups with my own money, I will be covering any related fees to ensure every donation goes directly to the cause.

What else can I do to help? 
Please reach out to me if you have any suggestions or would like to offer additional support. My husband and I also try to distribute general hygiene products (beyond menstrual cups) to the homeless, so any related support is beneficial.

Other ways you can help are by:
-spreading this information.
-sharing this link.
-educating those around you about the harmful impact of disposable menstrual products.
-find a local organization where you can volunteer to help the impoverished.
-keep products on you that you can offer when you see someone on the streets.
-use your privilege to stand up for the homeless community. Go vote, go to town hall meetings, write your representatives.

Thank you for your support! I’ll be doing my best to post updates once I make more progress.