When the Philadelphia Division of Reproductive, Adolescent, and Child Health (ReACH) introduced the Phlow Philly initiative in 2025, it set out with a simple goal: to make free menstrual products a dignity-first standard in the everyday public spaces where Philadelphians live, learn and gather. One year later that goal has become a citywide reality.
Period poverty is more common than people realize. Nearly 1 in 4 students in the US struggles to afford period supplies,¹ and in Pennsylvania 76% of female students in public school grades 7 to 12 attend Title I-eligible schools.² When products are out of reach, a routine period can mean missing school, work, or daily life — which is the exact barrier Phlow Philly was built to remove.
Phlow Philly by the Numbers
Over the course of the program, Aunt Flow installed 223 free-vend dispensers across 141 sites — 131 Philadelphia Parks & Recreation facilities and 10 Free Library of Philadelphia branches — each stocked with high-quality, organic cotton pads and tampons for freely accessible, dignity-first care. In all, the initiative delivered more than 337,000 organic cotton period products to Philadelphia communities, with dispensers restocked again and again as neighbors put them to use.
Bringing the Community Together
During the week of September 22, 2025, Phlow Philly and its local nonprofit partners also hosted six Period Party® events, distributing 4,500 free period kits alongside menstrual health education and resources.
But the real measure of Phlow Philly isn’t in dispensers installed or cases shipped. It’s in the words of the partners who watched it work. “The Free Library of Philadelphia was proud to partner with Aunt Flow through the Phlow Philly initiative,” said Veronica Britto, Chief of Adult Services and Programs. “By offering free menstrual products at neighborhood libraries and Parkway Central Library, the program helped advance menstrual equity and expand access for our communities. We hope to continue the initiative in the future.”
Removing Barriers to Work and School
The impact was felt most where young people gather. “We are directly next to a high school, and based on use, we know that the students are using these products and appreciate them,” shared staff at the Bustleton Library branch. “We know that not all these students have access to menstrual products at home.” At the Jardel Recreation Center, staff pointed to the everyday comfort the products provide: “Having the free Aunt Flow period products available is such a great resource. It gives girls and women easy access to something they may unexpectedly need, and helps make sure they can stay comfortable while continuing to enjoy their time at the center.”
That sense of dignity carries real stakes: 1 in 3 low-income women report missing work, school, or similar commitments due to a lack of access to period supplies.³ “These essential items can be difficult to afford or access, and [this] initiative has helped remove that burden and allowed community members to have the products they need with dignity and without embarrassment,” wrote Jeanine Bruccoleri, Recreation Leader at the Gambrel Recreation Center. “Phlow Philly is helping ensure that no one has to miss work, school, or important activities simply because they cannot afford menstrual products.”
Leadership across the city saw that impact ripple outward. “I’ve seen firsthand how positively the program has been received by our staff and community,” said Rob Jackson, Deputy Commissioner of Programs at Philadelphia Parks & Recreation. “It has created meaningful connections, strengthened trust, and helped residents feel supported. It’s exciting to see the impact Phlow Philly is making across our communities.”
Looking Ahead
By aligning public institutions, strengthening community partnerships and meeting people where they are, Phlow Philly has shown what menstrual equity looks like in practice — and what becomes possible when a city decides that period products are a basic need, not a luxury. We’re grateful to every partner who made this year possible, and we hope it’s only the beginning.
Find your nearest dispenser location with our Phlow Philly map!
¹ State of the Period, 2023. Commissioned by Thinx, Inc. & PERIOD.
² Alliance for Period Supplies Annual Survey of Members, 2023.
³ Americans 18+ Who Regularly Experience a Period Survey, 2021, conducted by YouGov on behalf of U by Kotex.
