Feminine hygiene is something people don’t talk about often, but the disparities connected to it are what many consider a public health crisis called 'period poverty.'

Like many public health crises, there’s a racial disparity. According to a study detailed on the Alliance for Period Supplies, Black and Hispanic women struggle more to afford period products when compared to their white counterparts. A survey on the website also points out one in four teens miss school due to lack of period protection.

Former Hillsborough County School Board Member Tamara Shamburger said her organization Black Child Development Institute, Greater Tampa Bay, is trying to help young girls with their personal care closets initiative.

“It is truly alarming,” she said. “This is certainly a national issue, if not a worldwide issue. We know that studies show that at least one in five girls miss school because of a lack of period protection, and that’s significant. You know, we need students to be in school every day getting their education.”

Shamburger’s organization is hosting a drive to collect some of those much-needed items mainly for students in grades K-8.

“We’re currently hosting a supply drive,” she said. “We’re asking the community to all support this initiative. We’re collecting any kind of hygiene items, sanitary napkins, toothpaste, toothbrushes, soaps, any type of personal hygiene items. And what we’re gonna do is supply at least four high-needs schools with a high-needs closet.”

The personal care closets will launch at two schools in Pinellas County and two schools in Hillsborough County. They will provide hygiene products in high-need, low-income area schools for both boys and girls. The goal is to keep the closest stocked year round, so they are going to need donations.

They are currently accepting monetary donations or new unopened supplies, and are hoping to get more donations so they can offer this to more schools. Visit their page for more information here.