To the editor:

Many of us take for granted the ability to manage our health and hygiene with dignity. But for countless women and girls in Jefferson County, access to basic menstrual products is a monthly struggle. That is why our local library’s new initiative to provide free period products is more than just a convenience.

According to recent census data, more than 20 percent of women in Jefferson County live below the poverty line. In fact, the largest demographic living in poverty is females between the ages of 45 and 64, followed by females between the ages of 12 and 24. For those facing housing insecurity, unemployment or raising children on their own, the cost of pads or tampons can be a real burden. When menstruation forces someone to stay home from school, skip work or feel ashamed in a public space, it becomes a barrier to education and employment. Moreover, prolonged use of limited supplies or resorting to unsafe alternatives for proper products pose a risk of serious infection. Stress and shame over lack of menstrual products can also lead to anxiety and depression.

This is why the Friends of PLSJ, a nonprofit group that supports the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County, voted to join other community leaders and organizations to augment the initial grant funding that allowed our library to begin offering period products free of charge, discreetly and without judgment. In this way, the EveryBody Care initiative was made possible almost entirely through local support, not tax dollars.

We should be proud that our library and its partners are stepping up in a compassionate, practical way. Period poverty is real. Solutions like this are simple, cost-effective, and deeply impactful.

Robyn A. Hill

2025 board president

Friends of PLSJC