St. Louis Area Diaper Bank Welcomes New Period Supply Partners

The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank recently welcomed four period supply partners to its St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies (STL APS) program. New partners include Gateway Science Academy public charter school, Harris Stowe State University Community Impact Network Education Center, St. Augustine Catholic Church’s Wellness Center, and SistaKeeper’s “I Define Me Movement.”

The new period supply partners will distribute a total of 6,000 period kits annually. Each kit has 20 items, so a total of 120,000 period supplies will be shared with community residents. According to St. Louis Area Diaper Bank Executive Director Muriel Smith, “the additional partnerships are necessary since the demand for period supplies has increased by 20% since 2020. We rely on the support of organizations to help us serve those in need, and we appreciate our newest partner’s assistance in providing these basic necessities to those in need.”

The STL APS program collaborates with the Alliance for Period Supplies to ensure access to menstrual hygiene products. The program distributes period supplies through community partners, as well as advocates for the elimination of “period poverty”. To date more than 800,000 period supplies have been distributed in St. Louis, with 10,800 period supplies allocated each week. Last year two-thirds of low-income women in St. Louis could not afford menstrual hygiene products, with 46% of low-income women having to choose between food and period supplies.

Founded in 2014, the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank provides diaper access to the region’s low-income families, as well as raises community awareness about the causes and consequences of diaper need. Located at 6141 Etzel Ave., the nonprofit is a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, a nationwide nonprofit dedicated to eliminating diaper need and “period poverty” in America. The St. Louis Alliance for Period Supplies ensures access to menstrual hygiene products, which allows full participation in daily life with dignity.

For more information about partnership opportunities, call (314) 624-0888 or visit their website at www.stldiaperbank.org.