Period Poverty is a challenge many young girls and women in the St. Louis region face. Muriel Smith, executive director of the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank and leader of
Nurses in schools across Missouri say their students struggle to afford period products and have missed school because of periods. Now Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has $1 million to reimburse schools for menstrual hygiene products.
The Jackson County Health Department found that most local schools adequately supply period products, but 67% of surveyed staff said they were aware of students missing school because of their period.