Pilot project helping P.E.I. food bank provide period products to Islanders | CBC News
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The West Prince Caring Cupboard can provide more free period products to Islanders this year thanks to a pilot program supported by the federal government.
The federal menstrual equity fund pilot project, distributed by Food Banks Canada, aims to deliver free menstrual products to diverse low-income populations in various locations across Canada.
“It’s quite a generous supply that’s coming in and it includes everything from tampons to pads, different coverage levels of tampons and pads,” said Barb Ramsay-Desroches. president of the board of directors for the West Prince Caring Cupboard.
“When you consider the cost of menstrual supplies, if we’re able to provide some menstrual supplies on a monthly basis to some of these families who are coming to us for assistance, it’s going to be a big help to them.”
The first shipment was received this month, and products have hit the shelves of all four locations in Alberton, Bloomfield, Tignish and Tyne Valley.
The food bank will receive three more shipments from now until next March — one every three months.
New way to help those in need
Ramsay-Desroches said while the Caring Cupboard does receives donations of menstrual products, most spending goes toward food, so this pilot project adds a new way to help clients.
“By receiving these products through a pilot program, it means that we’re not purchasing them with donations that come in that are usually directed towards groceries,” she said.
“Now that we have a supply coming in, we can at least ask our clients if they could use some supplies and that we could maybe help more people out than we’ve been helping out in the past.”
She said it is too early to tell what the response has been from people visiting the food bank, but volunteers were excited to get the shipment.
Throughout 2022 to 2023, Women and Gender Equality Canada researched the project. It then opened applications for organizations that could benefit.
While Ramsay-Desroches is not sure if the support will continue beyond the one-year pilot program, she hopes the government will continue the project and renew funding if the response is positive enough.