Teamsters Joint Council No. 25 Women’s Committee donated 16,500 personal hygiene products to the Chicago Period Project last weekend, giving the young organization a big boost in achieving their mission.

The Chicago Period Project is a non-profit that empowers homeless and in-need people to experience their periods with dignity, by providing free menstrual supplies to organizations like shelters, community centers and Chicago Public Schools. The Period Project’s founder and Executive Director Ashley Novoa said the project has the power to change lives.

“Menstrual supplies are really a basic need that can essentially lead to a negative domino effect if you don’t have them. If you don’t have the supplies that you need to maintain your period, you are missing school, you’re missing work, and it can really affect your way of life in the future,” Novoa said.

Teamsters Joint Council No. 25 Women’s Committee President Tracy Reed leaped at the chance to help out an organization aiming to care for young women and give dignity to those less fortunate.

“It’s something that impacts every young lady,” Reed said. “It’s our committees mission to give back to the community, and with this issue, we thought we could really help make a difference in women’s lives.”

Reed collected donations from the Joint Council No. 25 Women’s Committee and all other Joint Council No. 25 Affiliates, and collected them to donate at their February 15th meeting. Women’s Committee volunteers then sorted the supplies and helped deliver them to the Chicago Period Project.

“The support from the other locals was incredible. We want to thank Joint Council No. 25 President Terrence J. Hancock and Local 743 President Debra Simmons Peterson as well. Allowing us to collect donations here at Local 743, this was a perfect spot because we had almost 100 people here, and enough room for all the donations as well. We couldn’t do it without them,” Reed said.

“With us being a small organization, any donation goes a long way for us,” Novoa said. “Thank you to the Teamsters, and thank you to Teamsters Joint Council 25 Women’s Committee for helping us out!”

At the end of the day, Reed was not surprised at all by the room full of donations.

“Teamster Women… we get it done!” Reed said.