At just 16 years old, juniors Becca Houlehan and Izzy Zschoche are changing the ways of period poverty one school and organization at a time by starting a non-profit organization called Equity. Period.
The journey began during their freshman year at Sion when Houlehan and Zschoche found that the metal dispensers in the bathrooms at the school were empty, but there were baskets of period products in the bathrooms. They found that some seniors had been providing the bathrooms with these products and continued to do so after they graduated, and also added Period Pantries in empty lockers around the school.
“We have been lucky enough that we have not been forced to miss school, work, or other social gatherings because we didn’t have the necessary products,” Houlehan said. “So Izzy, our moms, and I started working. We designed a website, started an Instagram page, and reached out to local nurses and social workers.”
In addition to reaching out to school nurses in the Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri school districts, they also started supporting local organizations, such as Free Hot Soup, Tiny Pantry, and the KC Welcome Alliance. Houlehan also goes to Belton every Tuesday to hand out period products to the local housing-insecure communities.
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“So much of this service is just showing up,” Zschoche said. “The other volunteers are always so friendly and they’re happy to suggest other groups to work with or other similar groups that can help with guidance. It keeps us busy, but it’s so worthwhile.”
The organization has recently received full non-profit and 501(c)3 status, meaning that they have tax exempt status.
“From the first time we went out and bought a grocery cart full of pads and tampons, to finding out we were granted 501(c)3 status when I called my mom on the drive home from school,” Houlehan said. “When she picked up the phone, I was near tears, I couldn’t believe how far we had come.”
The organization’s growth doesn’t stop there. Recently Houlehan and Zschoche testified in court in favor of a bill that removes taxes on period products, and later in the year they will testify to get free period products in schools, a bill that was introduced on their behalf.
“The next step is to get it to a hearing so hopefully we can testify,” Zschoche said. “It’s really hard to get legislative changes to happen so we have to remind ourselves that even if changes don’t happen this year or next year, we’re at least helping pave the way in hopes that it will soon. ”
The bill introduced is House Bill 2600 in the 2024 session and was introduced on behalf of Equity. Period. The bill would provide grant funds for Title 1 schools in Kansas to get funds for period products. The next step in their process would be to get a hearing and then testify for the bill.
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“I hope that we can continue to make strides to support our community of menstruators, and continue putting pressure on legislators to make period products, a necessary medical device, more attainable,” Houlehan said.
