West Cook News

The Oak Park River Forest High School Tampon Drive ends April 8.

“Contact your teachers about placing donation boxes in their room and fill out the sheet in classroom,” an Instagram post reads. “Make Flyers!”

The drive is organized by the school's Women in Leadership student group. The group’s meetings cover a variety of women's issues. ”Do you want to learn about feminist issues? Do you want to fight for women empowerment?” the group’s post read.

The group recorded a video asking for donations to the tampon drive, revealing a lot of women need access to feminine hygiene products.

“Did you know that 500 million menstruators lack access to period products and hygiene facilities?” one of the students asks.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill last year making menstrual products free at homeless shelters, public universities and community colleges.

“The pandemic has laid bare many of the quiet sacrifices that women are disproportionately forced to make in the face of financial instability: keep a job or stay home to take care of kids, pay the rent or buy groceries, pay medical bill or keep the lights on,” Pritzker said. “Given the high price of menstrual products, such as pads and tampons, it’s no wonder that many women below the poverty line have had to sacrifice."

The Feminine Hygiene Products for the Homeless Act (HB0310) requires all homeless shelters that grant temporary housing to women and youth to provide feminine hygiene products, including, but not limited to, sanitary napkins, tampons, and panty liners, free of charge subject to the availability of their funds. 

Another public act requires all Illinois public universities and community colleges to provide free menstrual hygiene products in campus bathrooms.