Title: Empowering Young Women: Grace Episcopal Church and the Burke Women’s Fund Join Forces to Tackle Menstrual Poverty
Introduction:
In an effort to improve the menstrual health of young women in the community, the Mission and Outreach team at Grace Episcopal Church has received a much-needed boost. The Burke Women’s Fund of the Burke County Community Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women, has awarded a generous $5,000 grant to the church’s outreach program. This grant will primarily be used to provide feminine hygiene products to young women through Burke United Christian Ministries and local middle and high schools. By addressing the issue of “menstrual poverty,” the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products, the partnership between Grace Episcopal Church and the Burke Women’s Fund seeks to uphold the dignity of women and ensure equal opportunities for all.
Addressing Menstrual Inequality:
Lack of access to menstrual hygiene products not only impacts the physical well-being of women and girls but also has far-reaching consequences, such as increased absences from work and school, reduced self-esteem, and limited academic opportunities. Recognizing the urgency of addressing this issue, Grace Episcopal Church and the Burke Women’s Fund have formed this new partnership to effect change.
Meeting the Immediate Need:
The grant from the Burke Women’s Fund will enable Grace Episcopal Church’s Mission and Outreach team to establish a sustainable program that ensures a consistent supply of feminine care products to young women in the greater Morganton area. By closely coordinating their efforts with local school counselors, the team can identify specific needs and tailor their support accordingly. The initial funds will go towards providing 600 feminine hygiene bags and 1,200 pairs of underwear to be distributed to women, especially young women, in the community.
Community Support and Gratitude:
Local educators have praised the Burke Women’s Fund for its vision and commitment to uplifting women in the community. Dakota Duncan, a seventh-grade teacher at Table Rock Middle School and a member of the Grace Mission & Outreach team, shares how several students often ask for hygiene products during school hours. She emphasizes the importance of meeting this basic need, which, when unmet, can significantly impact classroom instruction time. The community’s support and involvement in this initiative are crucial to ensuring the success and impact of the program.
The Role of the Burke Women’s Fund:
The Burke Women’s Fund, established in 2009, has been a vital force in supporting women’s causes in Burke County. Through grants and partnerships, the fund has awarded over $370,000 to local nonprofits that support women and their families. Previous projects funded by the organization cover a wide range of areas, including health, education, economic empowerment, and leadership development for women across all age groups. Their ongoing support and commitment to addressing women’s needs in the community are commendable.
The Vision for a Brighter Future:
Trish Keene and Kathy Peters, who spearheaded the Grace Mission team effort, express their profound gratitude for the initial grant and the additional ideas and funding they have garnered along the way. Each hygiene bag will contain a personal note of encouragement from a caring member of the community, adding a heartfelt touch to the initiative. Keene and Peters are dedicated to upholding the dignity of women and are focused on reducing the social stigma surrounding period poverty through educational resources and conversation spaces. Their vision is to ensure that all women have their basic health needs met, providing them with a strong foundation to pursue their goals and dreams.
Support from Grace Episcopal Church:
The Rev. Dr. Marshall Jolly, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, applauds the creative solution and leadership of the Mission and Outreach Committee in addressing menstrual poverty. He highlights the importance of serving others as Christ serves us, emphasizing the church’s commitment to making a positive impact in the community. As the Grace Episcopal Church Mission and Outreach team begins implementing this project, they anticipate positive changes and increased community participation. With the support of the Burke Fund for Women, many local citizens are determined to make a significant difference in the lives of women.
Expanding Perspectives: The Broader Impact of Menstrual Poverty:
While the partnership between Grace Episcopal Church and the Burke Women’s Fund focuses on providing immediate relief to young women in the community, it is crucial to consider the broader systemic and societal implications of menstrual poverty. Menstruation is a natural and essential part of a woman’s life, yet the lack of access to menstrual hygiene products perpetuates inequality and restricts opportunities for women and girls. By delving deeper into this issue and exploring related concepts, we can gain a better understanding of how menstrual poverty affects individuals, families, and communities.
Promoting Education and Awareness:
Reducing the social stigma surrounding periods and menstrual hygiene is a fundamental step towards addressing menstrual poverty. By educating individuals and communities about menstruation and its impact, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment for women and girls. Collaborative efforts between schools, community organizations, and healthcare providers can play a vital role in ensuring that accurate information is shared, eliminating myths and misconceptions, and promoting open and informed discussions.
Conclusion:
The partnership between Grace Episcopal Church and the Burke Women’s Fund highlights the urgent need to address menstrual poverty and provide support to young women in the community. Through their joint efforts, they aim to uphold the dignity of women, ensure equal opportunities for all, and reduce the social stigma surrounding menstruation. As the program is implemented and expanded, it is vital for the broader community to rally behind this cause and continue advocating for menstrual equity.
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Special to The News Herald
The Mission and Outreach team at Grace Episcopal Church has received a much-needed boost in its effort to improve the menstrual health of young women in our community.
The Burke Women’s Fund of the Burke County Community Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to empowering and supporting women in Burke County, awarded a generous $5,000 grant to the church’s outreach program. The grant will primarily be used to provide feminine hygiene products to young women through Burke United Christian Ministries, as well as through local middle and high schools. This will uphold the dignity of women suffering from “menstrual poverty”, a term that denotes lack of access to menstrual hygiene products. The initial funds will go towards 600 feminine hygiene bags and 1,200 pairs of underwear that will be distributed to women, and especially young women, in the community.
Lack of access to menstrual hygiene products not only negatively impacts the physical well-being of women and girls, but can also lead to increased absences from work and school, reduced self-esteem, and limited academic opportunities. Grace Episcopal Church and Burke Women’s Fund recognize the urgency of addressing this issue and seek to effect change through this new partnership.
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In the award letter sent to the Grace Episcopal Mission & Outreach team, Nancy Taylor, president and CEO of Burke Women’s Fund, said she looks forward to continuing the partnership.
The Burke Women’s Fund grant will empower Grace Episcopal Church’s Mission and Outreach team to establish a sustainable program that ensures a consistent supply of feminine care products to young women in the greater Morganton area. The team has closely coordinated their efforts with local school counselors to identify specific needs and tailor their support accordingly.
Local educators have praised the Burke Women’s Fund for its vision and commitment to uplifting women in the community. Dakota Duncan, a seventh-grade teacher at Table Rock Middle School and a member of the Grace Mission & Outreach team, said, “Several of my students often come to me asking if they can get hygiene products from friends or counselors. This is a basic need. , which, if not insured, can reduce your classroom instruction time by several hours each year. I can only imagine the courage it takes to ask for this kind of help in the middle of a school day, which is why I am happy to play a small part in this effort to empower young women to fully access their education.
The Burke Women’s Fund, created in 2009, has been a vital force in supporting women’s causes in Burke County. Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $370,000 to local nonprofits that support local women and their families. The organization has previously funded projects related to health, education, economic empowerment and leadership development for women of all age groups.
Trish Keene and Kathy Peters, who worked together to spearhead the Grace Mission team effort, have expressed incredible gratitude for both the initial grant and the additional ideas and funding they have garnered along the way. Kathy is especially excited about the fact that each bag will contain a personal note of encouragement from a caring member of the community. Keene, for her part, is dedicated to upholding the dignity of women in the community and looks forward to the future potential of the initiative. Both women hope to provide educational resources and conversation spaces to reduce the social stigma around period poverty and ensure that all women have their basic health needs met.
The Rev. Dr. Marshall Jolly, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church, applauded the creative solution and leadership of the Mission and Outreach Committee, saying, “This is what serving others as Christ serves us is all about.”
As the Grace Episcopal Church Mission and Outreach team begins to implement the project, the community anticipates positive changes and increased community participation and involvement. With the support of the Burke Fund for Women, many local citizens are determined to make a significant difference in the lives of women.
https://morganton.com/news/local/grace-episcopal-church-mission-outreach-team-receives-funding-to-support-young-womens-health/article_ad61f156-4db6-11ee-bd92-0317deb852b6.html
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