May is Menstrual Health Awareness Month, and Sabrina Browne is helping lead the charge to make an impact on those in need.
Browne is a partner at The Flow Initiative, a Jersey City, NJ-based organization working to end period poverty, a global health issue characterized by inadequate access to menstrual health resources.
Founded in 2019 by Eiko La Boria, The Flow Initiative provides support through education, advocacy, and free menstrual health products to people in underserved communities. The organization recently reached a major milestone, distributing more than 2 million feminine care products worldwide.
AUNTIE sat down with Browne to discuss the global crisis affecting more than 500 million women and girls, her partnership with the organization, and their collective mission to end period poverty.
Browne first learned about period poverty while volunteering at a Flow Initiative product drive in New Jersey. The experience opened her eyes to the crisis’s scale. Studies show that two in five menstruating people struggle to afford feminine hygiene products. After the event, she reached out to La Boria to learn how she could get further involved. She eventually became a partner with The Flow Initiative and now helps elevate the organization’s mission by organizing corporate partnerships with companies such as Kimberly-Clark, Thinx, U by Kotex, and Planned Parenthood.
The Flow Initiative has conducted over 300 educational workshops in schools, organizations, and domestic abuse shelters, reaching over 400,000 people. In 2022, the organization worked with former New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy to declare May 28th Menstrual Equity Day, which aims to raise awareness of period poverty in the Garden State. Additionally, the Flow Initiative team helped implement six bills in the state to increase access to menstrual products, including Bill A1349, which requires all schools statewide to provide free menstrual products on all campuses.
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Browne notes that the organization aims to expand its reach beyond New Jersey.
“We continue to expand through partnerships, educational programming, advocacy efforts, and product distribution initiatives across the country because period poverty is not limited to one city or one demographic. The need is widespread, and so is the opportunity to create change.”
Aunties can support this important initiative by making donations, participating in a product drive, or simply sharing the organization’s mission online. Those living in the Jersey City area can also volunteer at one of the Flow Initiatives’ community events.
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Browne reminds us that all women, regardless of where they are in their menstrual journey, can help to initiate change
“Period poverty is a national issue impacting communities across the country, which means everyone has a role to play in helping increase access, reduce stigma, and push these conversations forward,” the advocate tells AUNTIE.
Visit the Flow Initiative’s website to learn more about the organization, its programs, and upcoming events.
