Richmond nonprofit fills gap left by Virginia law that requires—but doesn’t fund—free period products in schools

A local nonprofit is stepping in where lawmakers have fallen short.

When it’s that time of the month, thousands of low-income students across the country face the harsh reality of trying to figure out how to meet their menstrual needs. Without access to basic products due to financial constraints and lack of government assistance, many turn to makeshift solutions.

For some students, that means using toilet paper, wearing products for too long, or even missing school altogether.

In Richmond, however, one women-founded nonprofit is working to end this cycle for its community by providing essentials to students in need, one period pack at a time.

The H.O.P.E. Foundation, short for “Helping Others Possess Essentials,” works to address the disparities in hygiene product access such as pads, tampons, and liners for students in Virginia—a state where such access is legally mandated, but not enforced.

A law without the funding to succeed

In 2020, Senate Bill 232, introduced by state Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, required Virginia public schools to provide free menstrual products in grades 5-12. According to the Virginia Department of Education, this law applies to 132 school districts.

RELATED: Virginia Senate advances constitutional amendments on reproductive rights, voting rights, and same-sex marriage

While the law is a step in the right direction towards menstrual equity, the funding to make it a reality has fallen short. Some schools simply don’t have the resources to comply, leaving students to rely on donations for basic necessities.

Advocates say awareness is important, but without proper funding, words alone won’t solve the issue.

“I can educate kids on their periods and what to expect, but what we need are those complete wraparound services like funding,” said Danielle Johnson, a women’s health physician and advocate with Physicians for Reproductive Health, a national nonprofit that supports equitable health care. “If we have a mandate that we’re going to provide a product, but there’s no money behind it, then the mandate is empty words.”

Last year, in order to support public schools in meeting state law requirements, Del. Holly Seibold, D-Fairfax, proposed the Menstrual Products Grant Program. The annual $250,000 initiative is designed to allocate funds to school divisions who apply for it.

READ MORE: What to watch on reproductive rights in Virginia’s 2025 legislative session

But for the second year in a row, the Virginia General Assembly left it out of the 2025 budget. Seibold told Dogwood that while she could speculate why the program was omitted from the budget again, she plans to reintroduce the program next year. 

Bridging the gap

One of H.O.P.E.’s key initiatives is the Middle School Hygiene Adoption Program, which helps students navigate the challenges of puberty by making sure they have access to the necessities they need. Students in need receive a free hygiene and period pack every month.

For a typical period pack, the bag is small enough to be discreet. Inside, students can expect to find four to five pads, personal wipes, words of affirmation, tip sheets on how to wash hands and when to change products, and occasionally, stickers and bracelets.

“Middle schoolers go through a lot.” said Kishka Gooden, founder and chair of the organization. “That’s when a lot of times their bodies are changing, when some young ladies start to get their cycles. So we try to help them get through middle school and get to those awkward times.” 

During the 2023-2024 school year, H.O.P.E distributed more than 1,700 period packs, 760 hygiene packs, and 300 laundry packs to schools in Virginia and North Carolina. And because of their work, the organization was named a 2025 Metropolitan Business League Nonprofit of the Year Finalist.

By receiving donations and volunteers from communities to create these essential packs, H.O.P.E’s goal is to promote health, dignity, and well-being—while easing the financial burden on families who are without.

“We understand that not everybody has that support system to help them through their first period, or even if it’s not their first period, everybody doesn’t have that support system,” Gooden said. “So we try to provide that to them as well.”

Why this matters

As a former teacher herself, Seibold said she has witnessed students not attend class because they didn’t have menstrual supplies.

A 2023 study conducted by Thinx, a company specializing in period underwear, and PERIOD, a nonprofit that focuses on addressing period poverty, revealed the same thing. 

Out of 1,020 teenagers who menstruate, all between the ages of 13-19: 

• 23% have struggled to afford period products.
• 61% believe their peers miss valuable school time due to a lack of access.
• 25% are unable to complete schoolwork because they lack the necessary products.

The issue goes beyond hygiene—it’s about making sure every student can pursue their education free from the shame and barriers period poverty creates.

“Without access, they can’t learn,” Seibold said. “And it’s no different than being hungry and not being able to learn because they’re food insecure. This is an absolute necessity when trying to be educated.”

Advocates want funding to support menstrual equity across the state. Until they get it, organizations like H.O.P.E. will continue to work so that no student is left behind—period.

Want to support menstrual equity? 

H.O.P.E provides information online for how the community can donate to support their mission.

RELATED: Possible closure of US Department of Education ‘devastating’ for VA

[Editor’s Note: The number of period, hygiene, and laundry packs H.O.P.E donated last year, was updated in article respectively from 700, 150, and 150 to 1,700, 760, and 300.]