(Image Credit: Jett Schwaier/CHAT News)

By Jett Schwaier

IN THE COMMUNITY

Video: 2026 End Period Poverty Campaign in Medicine Hat aims to boost menstrual product donations

Mar 6, 2026 | 7:16 PM

The End Period Poverty campaign is underway in Medicine Hat, having officially launched on March 6, 2026, encouraging residents to donate products that will be distributed locally through the Root Cellar Food and Wellness Hub.

Organizers are hoping to significantly increase donations of menstrual products this year, with last year’s campaign raising about $14,000 worth of menstrual products, but roughly $35,000 is needed annually to fully meet demand in the community.

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Melissa Mullis, executive director of the Root Cellar, said the initiative has grown from a small grassroots effort into a broad community movement.

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“It’s amazing to see how many groups have come together to make this a reality, it’s pretty awesome,” Mullis said.

“The more awareness and the more community groups that come together to make the community aware of this issue, the better,” she added.

Community partners supporting the campaign include the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association and the Redcliff Youth Centre.

Mullis said addressing the demand for menstrual products, particularly tampons, is important because many people still struggle to afford basic menstrual supplies.

“It’s a really big deal to have stability so that they don’t have to worry about where they’re going to get these products, that they’re just readily available,” Mullis said.

A member of the Medicine Hat Skateboard Association, Millie Goldade, said seeing different groups work together has been powerful for the campaign.

“We have sports teams, skaters and youth all coming together to make a difference,” Goldade said.

“It’s very cool to see different groups, because this can be stigmatized as a women’s only issue, but to have male athletes and skateboarders coming together to help the women in our community is just so beautiful,” she added.

Janae Ulrich, executive director of the Redcliff Youth Centre, says the campaign helps strengthen community connections while supporting young people.

“It’s very rewarding to play a role in this campaign and to work alongside so many amazing people with like-minded ideologies about how the community should function,” Ulrich said.

Ulrich said her position has allowed her to bring the campaign and other community resources into the Redcliff Youth Centre to support youth in the community.

“That just instills those roots of empathy, roots of connection, that sense of belonging, and feed it into our youth so that they can further instill those values back into the community,” Ulrich said.

“We’re just really hoping to grow this campaign year after year, and we’re very grateful for everybody to be a part of it.”

Residents can donate menstrual products at collection sites across the city, including the fitness centre at Medicine Hat College, the Kiwanis Club of Medicine Hat and Redcliff Pharmasave.

The campaign will wrap up on April 13 with a community event at Medicine Hat College, where organizers will build what they call the “Longest Snake of Generosity” by lining up donated products end-to-end.