FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
MassBay
Liz Cooper
ecooper@MassBay.edu
Dignity Matters
Meryl Glassman
meryl@dignity-matters.org
WELLESLEY HILLS, Mass. (October 28, 2021) — MassBay Community College is pleased to partner with Framingham, MA-based Dignity Matters to provide free period products to students in need. “Period poverty” (or the inability to afford or access menstrual care products) is a growing issue among homeless and disadvantaged women and girls, exacerbated here in Massachusetts by the high cost of living and financial stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a recent study by Kotex, more than two in five people who have periods have struggled to purchase menstrual care products; between 2018 and 2021, that number increased by 35%. The study also found one-third (35%) of people who menstruate have had to miss events or activities in the last year — such as work, school, or an appointment — due to lack of access to period products.
Dignity Matters is a non-profit organization that collects, purchases, and supplies menstrual care products, bras, and underwear to women and girls who are homeless or in need. These products help them stay healthy, go to work and school without interruption, regain self-confidence, and live with basic dignity.
“The cost of feminine products is often a hidden burden for women and girls,” said Elizabeth Blumberg, Psy.D., MassBay Vice President for Student Development and Dean of Students. “We are proud to partner with Dignity Matters to provide some assistance to MassBay students who struggle with the financial cost of these vital health care products. This program is truly making a difference in their lives.”
Free menstrual care products provided by Dignity Matters have been made available in the women’s restrooms on all three MassBay campuses in Wellesley Hills, Framingham, and Ashland. Students are encouraged to take the products as needed, or to take what they need to manage their entire period with dignity. Dignity Matters will replenish supplies as needed throughout the fall semester.
“Financial aid covers tuition, books, and housing, but not hygiene items. You can’t purchase menstrual care with Food Stamps/SNAP either, so students literally have no other way to afford these products,” says Kate Sanetra-Butler, Founder and Executive Director of Dignity Matters. “Recent studies estimate that as many as 12% of students at state and community college in Massachusetts are homeless, and many more are living in poverty. Some of them have overcome incredible barriers just to get to college, and we can't let period poverty be the one that holds them back.”
This initiative is led by MassBay’s Student Nourishment And Care Committee (SNACC), which is a group of staff, faculty, students, and community volunteers who are dedicated to eliminating basic need barriers that are obstacles to student success.
To learn more about Dignity Matters, visit Dignity Matters.
MassBay Community College is the most affordable higher education option in MetroWest Boston, offering a robust portfolio of courses and more than 70 associate degree and certificate programs with flexible day, evening, and weekend classes in Ashland, Framingham, Wellesley Hills, and online. MassBay students receive an unmatched educational value by earning stackable credits that transfer to bachelor’s degree programs, and workforce-ready skills necessary to advance careers in high-demand fields such as health and life sciences, automotive technology, engineering, business, cybersecurity, and the humanities. MassBay’s Associate Degree in Nursing (RN) and Practical Nursing (LPN) programs were both ranked as the #1 Nursing Program in Massachusetts in 2020-2021 by national nursing advocacy organizations RegisteredNursing.org, and PracticalNursing.org. Since its founding in 1961, MassBay has been accredited by several governing bodies and remains firmly committed to its mission of meeting the needs of the diverse local communities it serves. We value the intrinsic worth of all individuals, collectively in pursuit of inclusiveness and prioritize our work towards achieving equity within our community and beyond