Community Partners Help CISTN Address Period Poverty for Tennessee Students

Volunteers pack period care kits for TN students.

At CISTN, we know student success doesn’t start and end in the classroom. For many students, access to basic necessities–like hygiene products–can make all the difference in whether they feel confident, comfortable, and ready to learn.

One of those often-overlooked barriers is period poverty: According to the Period Poverty Institute of America, 41.9% of women in the United States have experienced period poverty at some point in their lives. Period poverty refers to the inability to afford and access menstrual products, sanitation and hygiene facilities and education and awareness to manage menstrual health. For students, this often means missed school days, added stress, and lower confidence in the classroom.

That’s why CISTN partnered with Dollar General and The Hershey Company last month for a volunteer event focused on addressing period poverty among Tennessee students. More than 80 volunteers came together at Dollar General’s Store Support Center in Goodlettsville to support students in a tangible, meaningful way.

Together, volunteers assembled more than 600 period care packages for high schools across the state served by CISTN. Each package included essential items like pads, tampons, and hand sanitizer—resources many students don’t consistently have access to—along with small touches of encouragement like chocolate, thanks to The Hershey Company. These simple but critical supplies help students stay focused on what matters most: being present and engaged in school.

Period poverty is a real and pressing issue, and its impact often goes unseen. Without access to basic menstrual products, students may miss school or struggle to fully participate in their day. By addressing this need head-on, CISTN and its partners help remove a barrier that stands in the way of student success. This is wraparound support in action: meeting students where they are and ensuring they have what they need, both inside and outside the classroom.

In addition to volunteering their time, both organizations contributed $1,000 each (totaling $2,000) to support CISTN’s work and expand access to critical resources for students.

At CISTN, we’re grateful for partners who understand that removing barriers like period poverty helps students succeed—and who take action to make that possible. Because when students have what they need, they can focus on learning, growing, and building their future.

Both organizations donated a total of $2,000 to CISTN.