Did you know that a recent study by PERIOD & Thinx of 1,000 girls between the ages of 13 to 19 found that one in five struggled to afford or were not able to purchase menstrual products at all? The study also found that one in four missed class because of a lack of access to menstrual products. Although there are currently 341,208 households participating in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and 110,548 women and children utilizing the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) in the Commonwealth of Virginia, menstrual products are not covered by these government assistance programs.

What can you do to help alleviate period poverty in our community? Please join the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach during its Little Black Dress Initiative (LBDI), taking place February 3rd to 7th. Founded in 2014 by the Junior League of London, LBDI is a week-long awareness and fundraising campaign that harnesses the power of social media and doing something “a little different” in order to educate people about local issues that Leagues work on in their communities.

During LBDI, members of the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach will be wearing one black dress (or outfit) and an LBDI button for five consecutive days to raise awareness about period poverty and raise funds to provide period packs to girls in local public schools.

How can you support LBDI?

There are countless ways to support the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach’s Little Black Dress Initiative:

• Wear a black dress (or outfit) and an LBDI button in solidarity. Need an LBDI button? Reach out to Nicolle Vasquez Del Favero, Community Vice President at community@jlnvb.org.
• Donate to the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach’s LBDI fundraiser at http://bit.ly/DonateToLBDI.
• Donate menstrual products by purchasing them from the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach’s Amazon Wishlist at http://bit.ly/AmazonPeriodPacks.
• Attend any of our LBDI events, including Galentine’s Brunch, Yoga for a Cause, Wine Tasting before Sense and Sensibility, and Cocktails for a Cause.
• Write to your Delegate and Senator and ask them to support legislation that provides free menstrual products in public schools.

What do your donations support?

Since the 2018-2019 league year, the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach has been assembling period packs for girls in local public schools. During the 2019-2020 league year, the Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach has donated 200-period packs to four local schools!

The Junior League of Norfolk-Virginia Beach is committed to ensuring that every girl in South Hampton Roads has access to menstrual products in school and that no girl misses class because she or her family is unable to afford menstrual products. The donations received from the LBDI fundraiser will be used to purchase additional menstrual and personal hygiene products for period packs, which will be distributed throughout public schools in South Hampton Roads.

All donations are fully tax-deductible.

For more information, please contact Nicolle Vasquez Del Favero, Community Vice President at community@jlnvb.org.