Partnership with the Mercer County Food Bank for the 2026-2027 School Year:
The Mercer County Food Bank and Grove City Days for Girls are partnering this year to make Days for Girls kits available at every student food pantry in the county. We hope, with your help, we can supply them with washable menstrual pad kits and menstrual cups.
Grove City DfG team representatives, Christine Opitz and Ruth Magee met with Bailey Shepherd, Strategic Partnerships and Programs Manager at the Mercer County Food Bank, to see how we can better support Mercer County Schools. Bailey reported that are 10,000 students in our county’s school districts and 7,000 of them accessed a student food pantry last year. These students will also benefit from having access to sustainable menstrual products and education, especially since far more girls than boys access their school’s pantries.
Before the start of each school year, Bailey meets with the school district representatives who coordinate their school’s pantry. At this year’s meeting on August 7, district representatives will see a video about our kits. In turn, at the beginning of the school year, each district will provide the entire student body with education about the school food pantry and students take a tour of their school’s pantry. Students will view the DfG video at the same time they learn more about the food pantry at their school.
The Food Bank is asking for 4,000 kits over the course of the coming school year, with the first shipment of 1,200 kits and 300 cups due the third week in August. After that, we will supply more kits to replenish the supply every 6-8 weeks.
Each washable kit we supply to the schools will include: 2 waterproof shields, 8 liners, 1 carry pouch, a 100% cotton wash cloth, a small bar of soap, and a period-tracking chart and directions, all packaged in a drawstring bag. Each menstrual cup kit will include: 2 menstrual cups, a period-tracking chart, directions, and small drawstring pouch. Those are the things you can see. What you might not notice immediately is that those kits also contain: dignity, education, and independence. These kits and their accompanying education can lift entire communities out of poverty.
Because of generous donors like you, we already have the donations we need to complete the August order. To complete the needed menstrual health kits, we will be fundraising to purchase supplies. You can send us monetary donations through: Grove City PA Team’s team fundraising page for Days for Girls International as well as sending needed items directly to us through our Grove City DfG Amazon wish list.
The other way to help us is to follow us on social media and share our posts: Days for Girls Grove City PA Team
If you are interested in donating your time you can volunteer with us. Please use this email to inquire about volunteer opportunities: grovecitypa@daysforgirls.org
Period Pastor Pad 