Sunshine Supplies for Teachers
Project Name: She Glows
Project summary: "She Glows" will provide free, discreet menstrual hygiene kits to educators for distribution to students in need. This will help reduce period poverty and improve school attendance. Our kits will also promote health, dignity, and academic success while fostering a supportive school environment.
Amount Requested: $7,500
Website: https://www.sunshinesuppliesforteachers.org/
Project statement of need: "She Glows" is a student-centered initiative created to address the critical need for feminine hygiene products in schools, ensuring that no student is held back from their education due to lack of access to essential hygiene items. The project aims to provide free, accessible, and discreet feminine hygiene products for educators to pick up while they shop in our free store. These items will then be taken to our local schools to distribute, creating a safe and supportive environment for all individuals, regardless of their socioeconomic background. Many students face barriers in accessing necessary hygiene products, particularly lower-income communities. This can lead to embarrassment, missed school days, and hindered academic performance. "She Glows" will address this need, giving our educators the tools to empower their students to maintain their health and dignity during menstruation without fear of stigma or financial strain.
Intended Goals:
1. Ensure Equal Access: Provide free access to hygiene products, called "Glow Kits," to our educator members to distribute to students who need them. Each discreet "Glow Kit" will contain 2 pads, 2 liners, 2 tampons, feminine hygiene wipes and optional deodorant.
2. Improve School Attendance: Reduce the number of school days missed due to lack of menstrual products.
3. Promote Health and Well-Being: Support students' hygiene, dignity, and confidence, ensuring they do not have to choose between their health and education.
By addressing period poverty, "She Glows" will:
1. Provide at least 1,000 Glow Kits to students.
2. Reduce absenteeism related to menstruation by 25% among recipients.
3. Empower at least 100 educators with resources to support students' needs.
4. Normalize conversations around menstrual health to reduce stigma.
How does the project align with your organization's mission and goals? The "She Glows" initiative aligns seamlessly with our organization's mission to support educators and remove barriers to student success by addressing essential needs in the classroom. We recognize that period poverty directly impacts students' ability to attend and engage in school. By providing free, discreet hygiene kits, we empower both educators and students. We will promote academic success, health, and well-being to all students, regardless of socioeconomic status.
This project will also strengthen community partnerships, bringing together educators, schools, and donors to create a sustainable, long-term solution to period poverty. Through "She Glows," we will continue our work at removing obstacles, fostering inclusivity, and empowering students to reach their full potential in a supportive, stigma-free learning environment.
Age groups served: 6-22 years of age
Gender served: Female
Number of females served: 5,000 - 10,000
Explanation of Intent with a new program: The "She Glows" initiative was born from the growing awareness that period poverty is a major barrier to student success. Many educators in our network have shared stories of students missing school or struggling due to the lack of menstrual hygiene products. We realized that this was not just an individual issue, but a widespread, urgent need affecting students in our community.
While similar programs exist in other organizations, we found that local schools often lack a consistent, sustainable way to provide menstrual products to students. Many educators are personally purchasing supplies for their students in need, highlighting the critical gap in resources. Our organization has a proven track record of supporting educators and removing barriers to students' success. Operating a free Our Glow Kits will be distributed alongside other free classroom supplies. Our strong relationships with local educators will enable us to reach those who need the products most.
Sustainability Beyond the Grant Period: We believe "She Glows" program will continue to thrive after the grant ends because our community understand the importance of providing equitable access to menstrual hygiene products. Through partnerships, community events, and fundraising, we will create a sustainable model where individuals and organizations can contribute to the program's ongoing success.
We plan to offer Glow Kit assembly events where volunteers can purchase products through out Amazon wishlist (approximately $119.62 for 200 kits.) or make monetary donations. This community driven model ensures that the program remains relevant and sustainable, with funds continuing to support the distribution of kits.
By leveraging community involvement, membership dues, and fundraising efforts, the "She Glows" initiative will remain an essential, sustainable resource for students in need, helping them stay in school and thrive academically.
If you receive partial funding, how would the program be impacted? If we would receive partial funding, we would still launch this new program, but would be asking for more community support and funding sooner. We would raise funds through fundraising opportunities.
Project budget narrative: The budget for "She Glows" is designed to maximize the impact of every dollar spent while supporting long-term program sustainability.
Cost per Glow Kit: Each kit costs approximately $1.00 to create, providing two liners, two pads (or tampons), feminine hygiene wipes, and a discreet carrying bag.
Estimated Kits Distributed: With the requested grant, we will be able to distribute over 7,000 Glow kits. This brings the total cost for product procurement to $7,000.
Operational Expenses: An additional $500 will be allocated to cover administrative costs, including transportation, storage, and assembly of kits.
Volunteer Engagement and Community Events: We will use $500 to fund community engagement events where volunteers will assemble kits. These funds will cover materials and refreshments for events.
Other Revenue Sources
In addition to the requested grants funds, the organization's membership dues will contribute to the program's sustainability. We will also run fundraising initiatives throughout the year, such as Glow Kit assembly events, where community members can purchase items from our Amazon Wishlist or donate funds to support construction of kits. These initiatives will allow us to expand the reach of the program and keep it sustainable beyond the grant period.
Budget Management
The program budget will be managed by Holly Schmoldt, a board member with extensive experience in nonprofit budgeting. Holly will monitor spending closely, ensuring that funds are spent effectively and in alignment with the project's goals. She will also track monthly demand for the kits to ensure sufficient supplies are always available for distribution. Regular financial reports will be provided to the board to ensure transparency and accountability.
