The United Way BC provincial drive surpasses collection goal, but demand for menstrual products continues to outpace supply
More than 65,000 menstrual products are being distributed to organizations across the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region through United Way BC’s 2026 Period Promise campaign, helping improve access to essential supplies for people experiencing period poverty.
The regional distribution is part of a provincial campaign that collected 570,150 menstrual products, surpassing United Way BC’s goal of 525,000. Community members in the Thompson-Nicola-Cariboo region donated more than 13,000 products to support the initiative.
Despite exceeding its fundraising goal, United Way BC’s 2026 needs assessment found more than 120 organizations across British Columbia require nearly seven million menstrual products to meet current demand, supporting an estimated 162,758 people.
“Every day, thousands of people across British Columbia are facing these impossible challenges,” Chelsea Ingram, United Way BC’s campaign manager for the Thompson-Nicola-Cariboo region said. “There could be somebody sitting next to you who is going through the internal turmoil of not having products. They might be at school, they might be at work or out in the community, but they’re not focusing on work or school.”
People who cannot access menstrual products are often consumed by worries about managing their periods and may leave work or school as a result,
“They’re thinking, ‘Am I going to leak? Is it going to show? What if the inadequate protection I am using doesn’t work?’ A lot of times they end up leaving. It’s not because they don’t want to be there. Managing their period without basic supplies feels impossible,” Ingram said.
While the campaign’s total may seem significant, Ingram said it addresses only a fraction of the need identified across the province.
“Five hundred and seventy thousand products sounds like such a big number, and we’re so proud of our partners, the community and the sponsors who stepped up to help,” Ingram said. “But the need is over seven million menstrual products, so what we’ve collected will only fill the gap for about three or four months across the province before organizations are looking for products again.”
About 13 community partners across the Thompson Nicola Cariboo region received products, with distributions reaching Williams Lake, 100 Mile House, Lytton, Clearwater, Merritt, Chase and surrounding communities.
Before each campaign, United Way BC asks partner organizations to estimate how many products they need so supplies can be distributed as fairly as possible.
“We ask our agency partners what they need and how much they need,” Ingram said. “Once the collection is complete and all the products are counted, we do our best to fill the gap based on those numbers.”
Ingram also credited local businesses and volunteers for helping make the campaign possible, highlighting Kruger Pulp Mill for donating warehouse space to store products and assisting with distribution. Employees and volunteers helped prepare shipments while community organizations collected products directly from the site.
“It’s such a simple fundraiser for workplaces to hold,” Ingram said. “Setting up a collection box and asking people to donate can truly change a life. It’s a simple ask, but it can make all the difference in the world.”
As the campaign marks its 10th year, United Way BC hopes to continue expanding both product donations and awareness of period poverty.