Justice Necessary offering grants to schools to supply pads, tampons and dispensers to meet requirements of legislation
A Colorado nonprofit is introducing a grant program for the state's schools that would provide free period products to students. The one time-grant would supply pads, tampons, and dispensers to help schools meet the requirements of Colorado HB-1164, states Justice Necessary.
Justice Necessary was formed to address hygiene and period poverty and diaper needs across the state, according to the group's website. The legislation is aimed at ensuring that no student must miss class due to lack of access to essential menstrual products, Justice Necessary states.
The one-time grant would provide dispensers and free pads and tampons and one-month bags of period products to support students over the summer of 2025 as well as the 2025-2026 school year. The grant will help schools reach the first HB24-1164 milestone of having 25% of female and gender-neutral restrooms stocked with period products.
All Colorado school districts, individual schools and charter schools are eligible to apply. Special consideration will be given to rural schools and those with a large population of students receive free and reduced lunches, according to Justice Necessary.
Last year, Gov. Jared Polis signed HB24-1164, which makes modifications to the Menstrual Hygiene Grant Program to expand support to rural and underserved districts.
"Periods don't wait - and this important law ensures that Colorado students can access the menstrual products they need, when they need them," said Rep. Brianna Titone, D- Arvada, a key backer of the bill, in a 2024 news release. "Without access to menstrual products, our students risk missing out on valuable learning time and can experience emotional distress. Our new law makes menstrual products free and accessible in schools to Colorado's teens."
Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn said in the news release that "67 percent of U.S. students miss valuable school time due to a lack of necessary period products, and the numbers are even higher for low-income and students of color," said Willford.
"Our important bill helps combat period poverty in Colorado by making menstrual products free and accessible in middle school and high school bathrooms," she said. "Our students deserve to learn, grow and thrive without the added stress of finding and affording period products - and this new law does just that."
The bill ensures that every student across the state can go to school without worrying about when your period might arrive, or if you have the products you need to manage it," said Diane Cushman Neal, founder and president of Justice Necessary, in the 2024 news release.
"I am proud to live in a state that ensures students can attend class without the worry of having the necessary products to manage their periods, because access to period products, just is necessary," Cushman Neal said.
Applications for the Justice Necessary grants are due March 31. Recipients will be announced April 21.
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