We just donated $1400 to make 175 Freedom Kits at $8 each to be used locally in the Yakima Valley. This money comes from four months of our sales of PMS wine and is funded by you, our amazing customers.
PMS (Paul’s Mocha Stuff) is our “Pay What You Want” wine, minimum $14. We guarantee that we will donate at least $4 for every bottle. The more you pay for it, the more money goes to this great cause of helping girls and women stay in school and at work. Anything paid over $10 is donated to Freedom Kits of Yakima. They do not have any overhead and all the people who do the work are volunteers. So, 100% of the donations are used.
Freedom Kits are washable, reusable feminine hygiene kits made primarily for young women in developing countries so they can stay in school during their period and eventually graduate. Volunteers of all ages assemble and ship the kits at no cost to parts of the world where access to tampons and pads is limited or nonexistent.
Freedom Kits include eight pads made of colorful flannel (no whites or pastels, to avoid the stigma that comes with bloodstains); two “moisture-barrier” guards made with polyurethane leak-proof fabric, in which the pads are inserted; two gallon-size reusable plastic freezer bags, in which girls can wash the pads using minimal water; and a colorful drawstring bag to hold all the materials. They are expected to last 3-5 years.
We were able to recently supply more local high schools and local community organizations with Freedom Kits to help combat period poverty right here in the Yakima Valley:
Selah High School 10 kits
Naches High School 10 kits
Highland High School 10 kits
Pahto Public Passage (Yakama Nation Shuttle Bus) 30 kits
Heritage University Food Pantry 10 kits
Regional WIC Directors 10 kits
Although Freedom Kits of Yakima delivers these internationally, we have requested that they use our monies locally. We might expand later, depends on how much you buy our wine for!
For more information about Freedom Kits and how to donate, click here.