2 NYC high school students are leading the way in expanding access to menstrual hygiene products amid the coronavirus pandemic with the launch of “Femstrate,” which works with the city Dept. of Education to hand out free period products at meal hub sites.
"As a community, as a society, we are at such a risk right now,” Abdelwahab said. “I think being able to take one stress off of a family or a person's life is really important.”to Mayor Bill de Blasio and Department of Education Chancellor Richard A.
Carranza on April 6 and asked the city to continue providing the products during remote learning. Their request caught the attention of many city and state legislators, including Assemblywoman Catherine Nolan, a Democrat from Queens, who helped move their initiative forward.Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, New York state Sen. Julia Salazar, and U.S. Reps. Carolyn Maloney and Grace Meng, all Democrats representing parts of Queens or Manhattan, also endorsed aAccess to menstrual hygiene products is a particular challenge during the pandemic, Maloney said. “Many of our students rely on their schools for these products, and we need to make sure that this resource isn’t torn away from students during distance learning,” Maloney said.“In times of crisis, it is so easy to overlook the very basic essentials, and these two young ladies recognized the need and sprung into action,” the lawmaker said.Abdelwahab and Soret started a GoFundMe fundraising campaign, and raised $3,000 and counting, to supply four non-Department of Education sites in two neighborhoods in Queens, Long Island City and Astoria, with menstrual hygiene products. The community distribution centers deliver pads and tampons to people who are unable to access the meal hubs. “From front-line workers to families in need, the demand for menstrual products is high,” said Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, vice president of the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law and co-founder of , which advocates safe, affordable and accessible menstrual products. “And while donation drives fill emergency gaps, they’re no substitute for policy interventions that ensure their accessibility.”
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