The Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) is organizing a campaign centered on providing free menstrual products, specifically pads and tampons, to NIU students, faculty and staff. The purpose of this campaign is to enhance awareness of the financial burden that purchasing menstrual products can cause individuals, especially college students.
By making these menstruation products available free of charge for students, more money is available for items such as tuition, meal plans, course fees and books. As an inclusive campus, this project is consistent with other services offered to students that make life easier, such as the availability of free condoms and the Huskie Food Pantry.
GSRC staff member and project organizer Natalie Goldberg states, “I was inspired to begin this campaign when I realized the [high] cost of pads and tampons — especially on a college budget.” According to the Huffington Post, the total cost for someone to purchase menstruation products throughout their lifetime is $18,171 or $454 per year. To put that into perspective, that’s $2,725 for six years of college. Part of Goldberg’s goal is to help lessen the financial burden of purchasing these products for her fellow Huskies.
To support the project, the GSRC is accepting donations of tampons and pads on an ongoing basis. The GSRC is open from weekdays, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and can accept new, packaged donations during these times. Contact the GSRC at GSRC@niu.edu or at 815-753-4772 with any further questions.
