Erin Katerynych shows off one of the many boxes the local food bank received in North Battleford. The food bank and resource centre is one of over 20 locations in the province taking part in the Menstrual Equity Fund Pilot. (Julia Lovett-Squires/battlefordsNOW staff)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

Menstrual pilot

Menstruation Equity Fund pilot in the Battlefords and Meadow Lake

Dec 11, 2023 | 1:00 PM

Women in need of menstruation support will find relief in the Battlefords.

The Battlefords District Food and Resource Centre is among a number of registered food banks in the province and the country taking part in the Menstrual Equity Fund Pilot.

“There’s supposed to be enough to help 500 women every month,” said Erin Katerynych, executive director.

The $17.9-million federal government pilot was announced back in September, will run until March and is a partnership between Food Banks Canada and Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE). Katerynych said as a women, she knows how expensive it can be to buy feminine hygiene products and when this project came up, it was something she jumped on.

“It’s something that we always run out of at the food bank, and I knew it was something that our clients could definitely use,” she said.

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According to Food Banks Canada’s website, there are two main objectives: the first to try and develop a national strategy to help low-income gain access to free supplies and the second to help shine a light the stigma surrounding menstruation and to educate people.

“I believe it should be subsidized, so, if we can help these people out especially at Christmastime.”

The pilot has been set up with guidelines to ensure distribution and include rules like “one type of product per client, per month,” and it must be handed out in its original packaging. Throughout the three months, the food banks involved will be providing feedback such as how many clients were reached, the service area and even sharing testimonials.

Katerynych said the food bank began distributing the products late last week and the reaction was swift.

“A lot of people were really excited,” she said.

“W had a mother come in with four daughters – they’re all teenagers – like that gets expensive in a month, so we’re happy that we can help alleviate some of the cost by covering that for them.”

BattlefordsNOW reached out to the Meadow Lake Food Bank, which is also taking part in the pilot, but has yet to receive a response. Local schools in the Battlefords are also actively participating in period protection initiatives. After reaching out to Living Sky School Division for an interview with teachers and students involved, battlefordsNOW has yet to hear back from them.

According to the Government of Canada’s website, “the lack of access to menstrual products is closely linked to poverty.”

It went on to say that marginalized communities feel the brunt of it so, when the opportunity arose get the Batttlefords involved, Katerynnych reached out.

“It’s just something that’s always irritated me personally so as soon as I saw that we could get all of these pads and tampons for free to distribute to people who were struggling, I was all over it.”

For more information on the pilot, visit the website here.

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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