Philadelphia Mother, Daughter Combo Fighting Period Poverty With The SPOT Period, Nation's First Menstrual Hub
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Women living in poverty in Philadelphia now have access to resources that will help them meet their health and hygiene needs. A mother-daughter team is bringing this sisterly affection to the City of Brotherly Love.
Period poverty and uterine care isn't just an international issue. It's a harsh reality for women and girls right here in Philadelphia.
"People who actually live at home, who are dealing with poverty or economic deficiencies," Lynette Medley, CEO of No More Secrets, said. "It's this idea that you're in poverty that you're connected to all these systems. No, people are at home struggling, trying to survive, trying to buy food and everything else."
Working with underserved communities for years, Medley and her daughter, Nya McGlone, say they are proud to open The SPOT Period, the nation's first menstrual hub, at Wayne Junction in Germantown.
"We were doing around 80 deliveries. Then when the pandemic hit, we went up to 275 deliveries per week," Medley said.
The new space will provide education, care, and menstrual hygiene resources to prevent women from putting themselves at risk for days at a time every month.
"From stealing to selling their bodies, to just using unsafe items like socks or gloves that they can get from the shelters that they give out, or old rags or newspapers," Medley said.
And there is the Breonna Taylor Room, a safe space for group sessions or simply being vulnerable.
"We know that the world around us is not always safe, especially for Black women in America," Medley said, "so this is a space where people can definitely feel vulnerable and receive information."
The SPOT Period will also offer reentry support, with McGlone working with mostly young women and teen girls.
"You can be anything you want to be," McGlone said.
The hub is made possible through crowdfunding and support from the community.
They will celebrate their grand opening on Saturday.
