Contact Us
Unit 100, 4828 53 Street
Red Deer, Alberta T4N 2E8
phone: 1-403-343-3900
email: info@caunitedway.ca
Charitable BN: 11927 8364 RR0001
Monthly menstruation products are a necessity, but for some people, they can be hard to come by. United Way’s Period Promise initiative aims to address period poverty in our communities while challenging the stigma around menstruation.
3 Ways to Join Period Promise
COLLECT & PROMOTE
Run a Product Drive + Promote Awareness
Collect tampons, pads, and other menstrual products at your workplace, group, or event. In addition to gathering much-needed supplies, we encourage you to raise awareness and promote the importance of menstrual equity within your community. We rely on your donations to meet community needs year-round, and with the help of our Period Promise Toolkit, you have everything you need to run a successful drive and to spread the word about period poverty in Central Alberta.
SIGN THE POLICY
FINANCIAL DONATIONS
Our Local Impact
United Way Central Alberta (UWCA) is dedicated to combating period poverty through our Period Promise campaign, ensuring barrier-free access to menstrual products, challenging stigma, and advocating for systemic change across the region. While our efforts run through the year, we align our campaign with World Menstrual Health Day (May 28th) to raise awareness and mobilize support. With the help of our partners, we engage the community through advocacy, product drives, donations, and our Period Promise Policy, ensuring that all Central Albertans who menstruate—regardless of background, identity, or experience—have access to essential menstrual products. In 2024-2025, we achieved the following:
70,500
menstrual products, donated by P&G, were supplied to local 59 schools, ensuring students weren’t held back due to their ability to menstruate.
12,200
products collected through community donations were distributed to 15 agencies supporting individuals experiencing period poverty.
12
school pilots with barrier-free dispensers were maintained in Red Deer, Lacombe, Innisfail, Sylvan Lake, Ponoka, Rimbey, Wetaskiwin, and Pigeon Lake.
Our pilot partnerships with local schools and municipalities have supported the installation of barrier-free dispensers and products in public facilities, ensuring access for everyone who needs them. We’ve launched municipal and school pilots in Red Deer and Innisfail, as well as school pilots in Lacombe, Sylvan Lake, Ponoka, Rimbey, Wetaskiwin, and Pigeon Lake. Interested in learning more? Reach out to us at alexis@caunitedway.ca
By ensuring that products and dispensers are available in both gendered and non-gendered washrooms, we provide access to menstrual products for all, regardless of identity, and allow individuals to take products for family or friends. This initiative reduces stigma, creates an inclusive environment, and ensures that all those who menstruate can fully participate in life.
History of Period Promise
The Period Promise campaign began in 2017 with United Way of Lower Mainland in British Columbia, evolving from a local Tampon Tuesday initiative into a nationwide movement addressing period poverty through policy advocacy, product distribution, and public awareness. This United Way-led initiative drives transformative action, emphasizing the necessity of ensuring access to menstrual products for all. Research into period poverty in Canada was conducted by United Way of Lower Mainland in 2019 and remains likely the largest study ever conducted in the country. Through critical data collected by thousands of respondents, we know that:
1-in-4
menstruating Canadians have struggled to afford menstrual products for themselves or children.
60%
of community organizations report being asked for free menstrual products.
80%
of community agencies don’t have the budget to buy menstrual products.
When people lack access to menstrual products, they miss school, work, and other opportunities to participate in their communities. Read the full research report to learn more about the impact of period poverty and the need for action.
Our Partners
