Every month, millions of people around the world menstruate — and yet for far too many, access to basic menstrual products is still out of reach. Menstrual Hygiene Day exists to change that. This year’s theme, Together for a #PeriodFriendlyWorld, calls us to imagine a community where no one is held back by their period, where the statistic that 1 in 3 menstruators will miss school or work due to their period no longer exists.

 Here in Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties, the need is unmistakable. Based on ALICE data, we estimate that nearly 40,000 menstruators in our region are living below the survival threshold. These are women and girls who are working, caregiving, studying, and doing everything they can to stay afloat — yet still cannot afford the products they need to manage a natural biological function. At Women’s Resource Center, we see this reality every day.

 That’s why we created No Strings Attached, a menstrual equity program rooted in dignity, immediacy, and access. In 2025, WRC distributed $9,557 in menstrual products — providing the equivalent of over 630 cycle‑specific distributions to women who needed them most.

 Products are available:

• 24/7 on our porch
• At Valdese Housing Authority
• At Catawba Valley Community College
• At Western Piedmont Community College

These access points matter.

They meet women where they are — without cost, without judgment, and without barriers.

Your support keeps our shelves stocked and ensures that no woman in our region has to choose between food, gas, or period products.

This Menstrual Hygiene Day, we invite you to take action.

Together, we can build a #PeriodFriendlyWorld — starting right here and covering women Across the Four.