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Nonprofit brings free period products to every Papillion La Vista school to reduce barriers to attendance
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Summary
Kristen Lowry, founder of Access Period, describes how the Nebraska nonprofit supplies free menstrual and hygiene products to schools, about 60 partner nonprofits and 10 public access points, and urges donations and stigma reduction to end period poverty.
Kristen Lowry, founder and executive director of Access Period, said her Nebraska nonprofit now provides free menstrual and other hygiene products through three channels: schools, roughly 60 nonprofit partners and about 10 public access points where anyone can receive supplies with "absolutely no questions asked." "We are a nonprofit that serves the whole state of Nebraska with free period products," Lowry said.
The program reached Papillion La Vista Community Schools after school social workers reported that some students were missing class because they lacked sanitary products. "We have products available in every single one of our schools," Deb, a Mindshift host who helped coordinate the effort in the district, said. Lowry said missing basic hygiene items can make students "not fully present" even when they attend class, reducing participation and attendance.
Lowry described how Access Period grew from volunteer work with Partnership for Hope, a local Omaha nonprofit that serves former foster youth, and a school "free store" called youth smart. She encouraged community members to donate and to talk openly about menstruation to reduce stigma: "It is so important" to have conversations and to "be menstrual equity advocates," she said.
The episode named several practical, low-risk changes schools can try to remove barriers, including rethinking policies that require clear backpacks, providing storage or lockers, and ensuring restroom trash cans are available. Lowry said such adjustments can yield "really, really high reward in the form of more competent students, more students playing sports, higher attendance." She also flagged broader needs: nationally, she said, "1 in 20 public school students are experiencing housing instability," and that supporting students across a lifespan—citing an assisted-living caller who requested incontinence products—was part of the organization's mission.
Hosts framed the work as both practical and cultural. Deb said male allies speaking openly about menstrual needs helped reduce stigma locally. Lowry said she is optimistic the problem is solvable and that success would mean Access Period could close because period poverty no longer exists.
Listeners were asked to help by donating, spreading the word and normalizing conversations about menstrual health. Christopher, one of the episode hosts, directed listeners to plcsschools.org/mindshift for more content and closed the episode.
