Most people in Southern Nevada will never see period poverty on a billboard. It doesn’t look dramatic from the outside. It looks like a mom in the grocery aisle doing math between pads and pasta, a teenager skipping school because she’s terrified of staining her jeans, or someone folding socks into their underwear and pretending they’re fine.
Period poverty is defined by three key barriers: lack of access to proper period supplies, lack of access to hygiene facilities, and lack of access to education surrounding menstruation. But in everyday life, it looks like missed opportunities: missed school days, missed shifts at work, missed community events. It can mean choosing between essentials, staying home to avoid stigma, or navigating daily life with anxiety and discomfort.
That’s where Project Marilyn comes in.
Founded by Wendi Schweigart, Project Marilyn exists to ensure everyone can experience a healthy, dignified period. The organization distributes thoughtfully assembled period kits designed to last an entire cycle through schools, period partner agencies and outreach initiatives, including the Period Supplies are School Supplies program.
At its core, the work is about more than products. It’s about participation.
When communities support menstrual equity, they strengthen more than access to hygiene supplies; they reinforce education, financial stability, mental health, and opportunity. Access to period supplies means students can stay in class, employees can show up to work, and individuals can fully engage in daily life without shame or interruption.
Project Marilyn itself was born from a deeply personal place. Named in honor of Schweigart’s mother, Marilyn, the nonprofit reflects a legacy of resilience and care for others. After her mother’s passing, Schweigart was moved by a desire to create something meaningful, something that honored the quiet strength and sacrifices she had witnessed growing up.
That inspiration has since transformed into tangible impact across Southern Nevada, reaching schools and community partners with essential supplies and support.
For those who have never had to think twice about affording period products, it may be easy to overlook the issue. Many people instinctively donate food, clothing, or school supplies, which are all vital resources. Yet, menstrual products are often left out of the conversation, despite being a recurring, unavoidable necessity.
Supporting solutions like Project Marilyn means helping neighbors stay in school, maintain employment, and participate fully in community life. It fills a gap that often goes unseen but deeply felt.
By treating menstrual care as community care, Project Marilyn is not just addressing a need, it’s building a stronger, more inclusive Southern Nevada where dignity is recognized as a basic necessity, not a luxury.