Why Project Dot?
We help low-income and homeless girls and women by giving them free kits that include a monthly supply of feminine hygiene products for when they need them.
The average cost of feminine hygiene supplies is $120 for an entire year.
Unfortunately, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) does not allow these items to be purchased with this aid.
When you don’t have pads and tampons, you might miss a day of school or a day of work.
Las Vegas is facing a homeless crisis and NV has the 4th highest population of homeless in the United States. As of December 2017, there were 6,490 homeless people in Clark County, 67% of which are unsheltered.
In addition, there are approximately 12,000 homeless students enrolled in the Clark County School District.
The typical hygiene kits that are being created for the homeless are made with men in mind and do not include the essential items that girls, women, nonbinary, and transmen need when they are on their period. And feminine hygiene items are the least donated items to shelters in our community.
Gender Equity
Period Poverty is a gender equity issue that needs to be addressed by the State of Nevada and the Clark County School District. Many girls in our community are missing school because they do not have pads and tampons. If a girl were to miss school each time she had her cycle, she could miss 144 days of school - that's nearly an entire year - and sets them behind the boys!
Project Dot provides feminine hygiene products to partners throughout the Las Vegas community to distribute to those who need them when they need them. Each hygiene packet contains enough items for a 1-month supply of pads and tampons as well as other items to help them stay clean and prevent infections. The kits also include items to make sure they have additional items that they need like a toothbrush and toothpaste, sunscreen, and hand lotion as well as items to help them feel pretty like nail files and hair ties. The kit is finished when we put in a small, sweet treat and a motivational note to remind them that people see their value.