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Mid-Del Schools finds answer for ‘period poverty’ thanks to teachers’ hard work

Teachers Danielle Taylor and Angel McCollister said some of their female students didn't have access to feminine hygiene products, so they reached out to the community for help.

Mid-Del Schools finds answer for ‘period poverty’ thanks to teachers’ hard work

Teachers Danielle Taylor and Angel McCollister said some of their female students didn't have access to feminine hygiene products, so they reached out to the community for help.

AN ANSWER. WOMEN’S HEALTH CAN BE A VERY EMBARRASSING TOPIC TO TALK ABOUT, ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE. BUT NOW, THANKS TO A COUPLE OF TEACHERS, THEY ARE NOW OFFERING 207 FREE PERIOD PRODUCT DISPENSERS THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT. ALL THIS IS POSSIBLE BECAUSE TWO TEACHERS SAW ME AND THEY STEPPED UP. TEACHERS DANIELLE TAYLOR AND ANGEL MCALLISTER SAY SOME OF THEIR FEMALE STUDENTS DIDN’T HAVE ACCESS TO FEMININE HYGIENE PRODUCTS. SO THEY REACHED OUT TO THE COMMUNITY FOR HELP. WE JUST BOUGHT BASKETS FROM OUR LOCAL DOLLAR TREE AND STOCKED IT OURSELVES, AND THEN WE JUST GOT THE WORD OUT. WE THANKED FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEN IT WENT VIRAL AND THIS GOT THE ATTENTION OF NOT ONLY SCHOOL OFFICIALS, BUT ALSO SAINT ANTHONY HOSPITAL. THE HOSPITAL AWARDED THE DISTRICT WITH A CHECK OF NEARLY $38,000 TO PLACE 207 PRODUCT DISPENSERS IN BATHROOMS ACROSS THE DISTRICT. THIS IS REALLY INCREDIBLE. WE’VE WORKED FOR THREE YEARS TO TRY TO MAKE SURE OUR GIRLS HAD THE PRODUCTS THAT THEY NEEDED SO THAT THEY WEREN’T MISSING OUT ON CLASS FOR EVERY TIME YOU LEAVE CLASS TO GO TO GET A POWDER --. YOU HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE BUILDING. YOU GET ONE THAT YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM. YOU RISK GETTING INTO TROUBLE BECAUSE YOU’RE OUT OF CLASS TOO LONG. THIS MEANS GIRLS AREN’T MISSING OUT ON EDUCATION JUST BECAUSE OF SOMETHING WE CAN PREVENT. OFFICIALS SAY THEY PURCHASED ENOUGH PRODUCTS FOR A YEAR ALLOWING UP TO FOUR PRODUCTS PER FEMALE A MONTH, AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THEY WILL ORDER ANOTHER BULK OF PRODUCTS. REPORTING IN MIDWEST CITY, AL
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Mid-Del Schools finds answer for ‘period poverty’ thanks to teachers’ hard work

Teachers Danielle Taylor and Angel McCollister said some of their female students didn't have access to feminine hygiene products, so they reached out to the community for help.

Women's health can be an embarrassing topic to talk about, especially at the middle school age.But thanks to some teachers, Mid-Del Schools offers 207 free period product dispensers across the district."All of this is possible because two teachers saw a need, and they stepped up," said Lindse Barks, executive director of the Mid-Del Public Schools Foundation.Teachers Danielle Taylor and Angel McCollister said some of their female students didn't have access to feminine hygiene products, so they reached out to the community for help."We just bought baskets from our local Dollar Tree and stocked it ourselves, and we got the word out," Taylor said. "We thanked family and friends on social media, then it went viral."The project got the attention of school officials and St. Anthony Hospital. The hospital awarded Mid-Del Schools with a check for nearly $38,000 to place 207 product dispensers in bathrooms across the district."This is really incredible. We've worked for three years to make sure that our girls get the products that they needed, so they weren't missing out on class," McCollister said. "For every time you leave class to get a pad or tampon, you have to go all the way across the building. You have to go to the bathroom, then you risk getting into trouble because you're out of class too long."This means girls aren't missing out on education just because something we can prevent."Officials said they've purchased enough products for a year, allowing up to four products per female a month. At the end of the year, they will order another bulk of products.

Women's health can be an embarrassing topic to talk about, especially at the middle school age.

But thanks to some teachers, Mid-Del Schools offers 207 free period product dispensers across the district.

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"All of this is possible because two teachers saw a need, and they stepped up," said Lindse Barks, executive director of the Mid-Del Public Schools Foundation.

Teachers Danielle Taylor and Angel McCollister said some of their female students didn't have access to feminine hygiene products, so they reached out to the community for help.

"We just bought baskets from our local Dollar Tree and stocked it ourselves, and we got the word out," Taylor said. "We thanked family and friends on social media, then it went viral."

The project got the attention of school officials and St. Anthony Hospital. The hospital awarded Mid-Del Schools with a check for nearly $38,000 to place 207 product dispensers in bathrooms across the district.

"This is really incredible. We've worked for three years to make sure that our girls get the products that they needed, so they weren't missing out on class," McCollister said. "For every time you leave class to get a pad or tampon, you have to go all the way across the building. You have to go to the bathroom, then you risk getting into trouble because you're out of class too long.

"This means girls aren't missing out on education just because something we can prevent."

Officials said they've purchased enough products for a year, allowing up to four products per female a month. At the end of the year, they will order another bulk of products.