Organization/Business: Changing The Flow
Short Bio or Organizational Mission: We believe every washroom should provide period products. Inclusive, accessible, and free. We can help you do it, #justliketoiletpaper. Changing The Flow is a social enterprise dedicated to the achievement of menstrual equity and the elimination of stigma surrounding periods. We do this through awareness, education, and implementation.
What do you want people to know about how you or your organization is creating change in our community?
When discussing what our organization does there are many times when it’s met with resentment or misunderstanding. To better understand how we create change in our community, we like to use a scenario. Let's say we lived in a world where toilet paper wasn’t accessible or free as it is today, that there was no toilet paper in public bathrooms, you had to bring your own wherever you went, even in your own home.
You also have to pay ten dollars for a package of toilet paper that will hopefully last you for the month, but if you live on a reserve you’ll have to pay twenty dollars a package. And if you can’t afford to buy one, well then you either have to sit in your accident or maybe you’ll use what’s around you, a rag or a t-shirt maybe to wipe yourself, hopefully you don't get an infection from that. No one openly discusses the use of toilet paper in your home, so you feel ashamed when you forget to bring one and you don’t feel comfortable asking anyone for a roll when you don’t have one. Or if you do, you whisper about it. Doesn’t this seem unfair to you?
Well, a lot of people who menstruate unfortunately understand this. At Changing The Flow, we work towards destigmatizing this notion in the Waterloo region community as well as across Canada. It is our goal to have period products seen as toilet paper, inclusive, accessible, and free. We envision communities across Canada that recognize that menstruation is normal and appropriately support those who need it. Through our work, over the past few years people in our communities have been able to understand this and work with us to achieve this goal.
What are you working on that you would like to share with the community?
Through our initiatives, we have donated over hundreds of menstrual products to those in need and created events in person or online. Such events have featured producers of period films, authors of menstrual books, or organizations across Canada who are also working towards menstrual equity, and research experts on menstrual health and public policy. We work with corporations, schools, and institutions to explain the importance of having a period positive bathroom within these facilities.
Changing The Flow has also created our very own period boxes that have been implemented throughout the country. We know that everyone deserves access to period products, these are essential items for anyone that menstruates and deserve to be treated as such. We envision communities across Canada that recognize that menstruation is normal and appropriately support those who need it. Through our work over the past few years people in our communities have been able to understand this and work with us to achieve this goal.
We are always open to collaborations, volunteers, and people who want to donate. All of this can be found on our website or social media.
Please share with us why you are a Pillar Nonprofit Network Member. What have you gained from being a Pillar Member?
Being a member of Pillar has been great for Changing The Flow. Whether it has been working with the coaches, participating in a popup community event, or attending the workshops, it is always a good use of time. Not to mention the networking with other social entrepreneurs. We have collaborated with other Pillar members on projects and they have been great.
Contact Name: Kevin Hiebert
Contact Email: hello@changingtheflow.ca
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