Meagan Johnson (center),executive director of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, receives a certificate of recognition from Deputy Commissioner of Community Health Erica Olivier (right). Also pictured is Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley. (NNS photo by Trisha Young)
This story was originally published by Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, where you can find other stories reporting on fifteen city neighborhoods in Milwaukee. Visit milwaukeenns.org.
By Trisha Young
In a 5,000-square-foot warehouse in Franklin, thousands of boxed diapers and menstrual products sat ready to be distributed, free of charge, to those in need in Milwaukee.
On May 31, the Milwaukee Diaper Mission reached a milestone of 300,000 period products donated to women in need. The celebration included the making of 188 period kits to be distributed to food pantries across Milwaukee.
Those who joined the celebration included Deputy Commissioner of Community Health Erica Olivier, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and the Friedens Food Pantries, the Diaper Mission’s largest period product and diaper distributor.
In 2020, the executive director of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Meagan Johnson, learned that many families were burdened with the high cost of diapers. She also discovered there was no basic needs bank in Milwaukee. She decided to open the Milwaukee Diaper Mission that year.
Soon after the opening of the Diaper Mission, the organization pivoted to also supplying period products.
Nicole Dachs (left) and Jamie Robarge, who are volunteers at the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, stand in front of a wall of 15,000 period products they were able to raise at their second annual Period Party. (NNS photo by Trisha Young)
Serving the community
“We recognized that there was no resource in our community providing menstruators with period kits on a monthly basis,” Johnson said.
According to the American Medical Women’s Association, “period poverty” is a term used to describe the widespread issue of individuals facing financial constraints that prevent them from accessing essential menstrual products such as pads, tampons or liners to effectively manage menstrual bleeding.
Recent studies show that about 1 in 3 people who menstruate in the United States are unable to afford essential period products monthly. This financial barrier leads to chronic school absenteeism, limited job opportunities and the potential for significant medical concerns.
A continuing fight
The fight to end period poverty has grown significantly in Milwaukee since the Diaper Mission took it on.
Joining the mission are many dedicated volunteers.
Jamie Robarge and Nicole Dachs became friends through their time at the Diaper Mission.
Both had their own experiences with period poverty and diaper expenses. In May, the two organized the second annual Period Party.
“I’ve experienced period poverty throughout my life, and I didn’t know it was a thing that had a name to it,” Robarge said.
After having her son in 2019 and struggling with a 60% cut in pay during her maternity leave, Robarge learned of the Diaper Mission.
She now advocates for the end of the period poverty in Milwaukee.
“I see how quickly the shelves empty out. I know in order to sustain this program, we have to keep the donations coming in,” Dachs said.
The solution came to Dachs to celebrate menstruation, not just as a product drive, but as a party.
The two invited friends, family and community members to a party and encouraged them to donate period supplies. The Period Party resulted in donations of 15,000 products this year.
Tosa West Feminist Student Union volunteers load up a van with period kits to distribute to food pantries around Milwaukee. Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley packs the boxes of supplies into the van. (NNS photo by Trisha Young)
Efforts felt citywide
Olivier said the Milwaukee Health Department has been able to provide thousands of diapers and hygiene items to some of the most at risk and vulnerable populations because of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission.
Crowley said Milwaukee County is committed to ending period poverty.
“We must commit ourselves as using a positive definition of health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just the absence of disease,” Crowley said.
“The work of the Milwaukee Diaper Mission in wiping out period poverty in our community is a shining example of that mission,” Crowley said.
For more information
To donate or get involved with the Milwaukee Diaper Mission, visit its website at https://www.milwaukeediapermission.org/.
Dachs also asks small businesses to join the fight to end period poverty. She will supply any business in the local area with a hand-decorated basket to put period products in their bathrooms. The businesses will also receive a certificate of recognition to display.
To get a period product basket for a business, contact Nicole Dachs at her email: dachsn3@gmail. com.