Victoria startup aims to donate up to 20,000 pads to United Way Period Promise campaign

A Victoria-based startup company that offers a subscription service for period products is donating up to 20,000 pads to a charitable campaign.

As part of their launch campaign, the company – called joni – will donate 10 pads to United Way’s Period Promise campaign for every one person who follows them on Facebook and Instagram, up to 20,000 pads.

“Leading up to International Women’s Day, joni, is asking the community to help amplify their message addressing period poverty in Canada,” reads a statement from the company.

Its founders, Jayesh Vekariya and Linda Biggs will also be standing alongside United Way’s Period Promise campaign representatives at Hillside Shopping Centre on March 7th to bring awareness to period poverty.

At this event, volunteers will be collecting donations of unopened boxes of pads, tampons and other menstrual health products.

The campaign aims to stuff a BC Transit bus full of these products which will then be donated to individuals who are homeless or living in poverty and may have difficulty accessing hygiene necessities.

See also: Province to fund nearly $100K in free menstrual products for vulnerable women

Statistics show that 33 per cent of Canadians under age 25 who need menstruation products cannot afford them.

Campaigns like United Way’s Period Promise attempt to remedy this disparity, as do initiatives like the provincial government’s $95,000 grant to 12 non-profit agencies to help distribute free menstrual products to vulnerable populations across British Columbia.

Earlier in 2019, BC announced that all public schools must provide free menstrual products by the end of the year.

As a company, joni pledges to do their part in making period products accessible by adopting a one-for-one business model.

“Every period product purchased through joni’s subscription service is reciprocated through NGOs, nonprofits and community organizations to the people who need them the most,” reads the statement.

The subscription based company is expected to start selling their first products this month.