Period Poverty in Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw: A Chronic Issue Affecting Our Communities

A Blog Post for the Charlie E. & Minnie P. Hendrix Foundation

Period poverty is often invisible, yet its impact is felt deeply across Michigan — especially in cities like Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw, where economic hardship and systemic inequities make access to basic menstrual products a monthly struggle for thousands of women and girls.

While period poverty is not a chronic illness, it is a chronic issue — one that returns month after month, affecting dignity, health, education, and opportunity in underserved communities.

What Is Period Poverty?

Period poverty refers to the inability to afford menstrual products, access safe hygiene facilities, or receive adequate menstrual health education. It forces people to make painful choices:

• Buy food or buy pads
• Pay a bill or purchase tampons
• Go to school or stay home in shame

These choices are not rare — they are routine for many families across Michigan.

The Reality in Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw

Detroit

Detroit faces some of the highest poverty rates in the state, and with that comes increased vulnerability to period poverty. Many families already struggling with food insecurity cannot afford menstrual products, which are not covered by SNAP benefits. This leads to unsafe alternatives and missed school or work days.

Flint

Flint’s long‑standing economic challenges — intensified by the water crisis — have left many households stretched thin. Women and girls in Flint often face compounded barriers: financial strain, limited access to affordable products, and health concerns that make proper menstrual hygiene even more essential.

Saginaw

Saginaw’s underserved neighborhoods experience high rates of poverty and limited access to health resources. For many families, menstrual products are simply out of reach, creating monthly cycles of stress, shame, and health risks.

Across all three cities, Black and Hispanic women are disproportionately affected, reflecting broader racial and economic disparities that shape health outcomes in Michigan.

Why It Matters

Period poverty affects far more than hygiene:

• Health: Using unsafe alternatives increases the risk of infections.
• Education: Students miss school because they lack supplies.
• Employment: Adults miss work or avoid leaving home.
• Mental health: Shame, stigma, and stress take a toll.

This is not just a personal issue — it is a public health and equity issue.

A Chronic Issue in Underserved Communities

Although period poverty is not a chronic illness, it behaves like one in underserved communities: persistent, recurring, and deeply tied to systemic inequities. Every month, the same struggle returns. Every month, the same impossible choices reappear.

Our Commitment — And Your Call to Action

This is why the Charlie E. & Minnie P. Hendrix Foundation continues to show up with compassion, resources, and advocacy. Because no one should have to suffer in silence over something so basic, so human, and so essential.

💗 Join Us at the Seventh Annual Giving Back to the Community Event

This year, we are expanding our commitment to menstrual equity in Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw by:

• Distributing free menstrual hygiene kits
• Providing menstrual and reproductive health education
• Supporting families experiencing homelessness or financial hardship
• Uplifting underserved communities with dignity and care

Your support makes this possible.

👉 Donate. Volunteer. Share this message. 

Together, we can break the cycle of period poverty — one city, one family, one month at a time.