Street roots., February 20, 2015, Page 7, Image 7

Street Roots • February 20-26, 2015
News
Page 7
Essential, common,
but so hard to find
H ig h school student Nadya Okamoto form ed Cam ions o f Care
to provide fem in in e hygiene products to women on the streets
BY AIMN-DERRICK GAILLOT
STAFF W RITER
enstruals, monthlies, menses,
periods, “that time of the month”:
Whatever you want to call it,
menstruation is a natural and regular part of
life for many women. But for women
experiencing homelessness, finding a pad or
tampon can be harder than finding a meal or
a new pair of socks.
“I took a towel and cut it in pieces and
used a plastic bag to wrap them with... I
would wash one, let it dry while I was using
another so I could rotate,” says Raynaz
Blackburn. She describes how she would
fashion her own pads in the times she
couldn’t afford or find any at local shelters.
“I’ve been left with nothing where they
wouldn’t hand me anything except a paper
towel.”
A mother and Army veteran, Blackburn
has experienced homelessness on and off
for the past several years and has seen for
herself how desperation can lead many
women sleeping rough to resort to their
own unsafe alternatives.
“I’ve seen them have to wear Depends
pullups. I’ve seen the have to wear them for
hoinrs and hours. I’ve seen them take
(tampons) and rinse them out and reuse
them. It’s not OK.” Having been left
bleeding and without options several times
before, Blackburn now makes sure she is
always prepared for her period. “I carry a
baggie with me wherever, now. They’ve got
me out of all my washrags and towels.”
Shelters are the first stop for pads and
tampons for women who are homeless and
thousands of others living in poverty in
Portland. And according to the office of
Multnomah County Primary Care Clinics,
clinics have supplies of tampons and pads
for use in emergencies, but not enough to
distribute regularly or, say, monthly. Lack of
access to proper menstrual products can
mean less safe alternatives, such as paper
towels, washcloths and even socks, become
the only option. These items are often used
for longer than is safe, for lack of a fresh
option or clean place to wash up. Improper
products, lack of a clean space to change a
tampon or pad, or extended use of
menstrual products can lead to serious
bacterial infections, such as toxic shock
syndrome, which can be fatal.
Some aid agencies keep small supplies of
pads and tampons on hand, but even then,
they are available only to those who ask.
“Talking to organizations, they were
telling me that they have the resources but
they don’t provide the service unless people
request them because they’re respecting
■
that it’s a private topic,” says Nadya
Okamoto. “For some reason that bothered
me, because this happens to every woman!”
Okamoto responded by starting Camions
of Care, an organization that provides free
care packages of menstrual products for
distribution by organizations in Portland,
including the Letty Owings Center at
From left, Giselle Cohen, Vincent Forand and Nadya Okamoto with Camions o f Care say the
Central City Concern, St. Andre Bessette
lack o f discussion about feminine products means the scope o f the need isn't truly known.
Church and Northeast Emergency Food
Program. Every weekend, Camions of Care
connecting with Camions of Care, the
thing that I had to sacrifice first so that my
and their team of volunteers assemble care
women
at the Letty Owings Center had to
family
could
have
food
and
pay
for
our
rent
packages of feminine hygiene products,
raise money to afford their menstrual care
was these feminine hygiene products and
complete with enough pads, tampons and
products.
resources like this,” she says.
fresh wipes to last a woman six days, the
“They would do whatever they could,”
The testimonies of the women she spoke
average length of a period.
says
Borgelt Now, the burden of getting
to
was
at
the
forefront
of
her
mind
when
“The demand for our care packages is
these menstrual products to the center’s
Okamoto started Camions of Care last year
nothing I expected,” says Okamoto.
while still in her junior year of high school at women is largely relieved.
Since its first delivery day in December,
“It’s money we don’t have to spend on
Catlin Gabel School. When her teacher
Camions of Care has delivered more than
those products, so we can spend it
nominated her to attend a youth leadership
350 care packages to women experiencing
elsewhere for programming and services.”
forum in Washington
homelessness in
Borgelt also emphasizes the therapeutic
D.C. and apply for a
Portland. Calls from
value of Camions of Care’s service. “It tells
grant, the idea for a
new organizations
M il ©I Camions ©I Care's eight«
(the women in treatment) that somebody
community
service
looking to partner
person team and the m a jo rity
out there in the general public cares for
organization came to
with the group keep
p i Its ro u g h ly § 0 vo lunteers
them, and that’s priceless in treatment. It
her
easily.
When
she
coming in. Street
helps them believe in themselves.”
shared
the
idea
of
are
h
ig
h
school
students.
Roots is among many
So far, Camions of Care has received
Camions
of
Care
with
organizations now
encouraging support, with Cascade AIDS
judges at ANN Inc.,
partnering with
Project donating condoms and Seventh
the corporation
Camions of Care to
behind the Ann Taylor Generation donating tampons and fresh
distribute supplies
wipes for distribution in their care packages.
family of retail clothing stores and the
the packages.
sponsors of the youth leadership program, it Their massive hauls of tampons and pads in
“If the word tampon comes up, you know
the check-out line of Wal-Mart also inspires
awarded her a grant of $2,500 to start the
there are some people who immediately
interest from observers.
organization. With funds and a plan in hand,
turn bright red,” says Camion’s
“It was amazing that every single woman
Okamoto
recruited
the
members
of
her
Development Director Giselle Cohen, “and
that we’ve met and we’ve talked to, they
organization from her various classes at
that’s a problem.”
school. All of Camions of Care’s eight-person have all said, ‘Wow, I never thought of that
Lack of discussion means many women
being a concern.’” says Forand. “It is on
team and the majority of its roughly 50
simply don’t know what resources are
their mind, it is there, but they never have
volunteers
are
high
school
students.
available and organizations don’t know just
the opportunity to speak o u t”
Calls, emails and meetings for the
how many menstrual products are needed.
Public support is strong, but its work is
organizations
take
place
between
class
“These are really natural needs,” says
far from over. The organization cannot
Okamoto, “but the idea that these topics are periods, during lunch and on weekends.
survive without an increase of regular
Camion’s Operations Director Vincent
private doesn’t only exist in the society but
support In an effort to ramp up donations
Forand uses his parents’ car to make
also within individuals.”
and exposure, Camions of Care is
deliveries
of
care
packages
and
Stores
Camions of Care wants to destroy the
Camion’s inventory of thousands of pads and sponsoring a donations drive of tampons,
view of pads and tampons as mere “comfort
pads and clothes at both Catlin Gabel and
tampons in the guest bedroom of his
items” and emphasize their necessity to a
Lincoln high schools throughout February.
family’s home. “Luckily we don’t get too
healthy, functional life, especially for women
many guests,” he laughs. Naturally, inspiring And while the group’s plans are ambitious,
working to get out of homelessness.
their knowledge of the essentiality of their
youth became part of their focus as well.
“If you don’t have the supplies to handle
organization gives them confidence that
“Empowering other teenage leaders to
your own body, you can’t advocate for
Camions of Care will continue far past the
speak
on
a
topic
that
is
in
our
society
yourself in the same way,” says Cohen. “It
students’ graduation dates. “I think once it
labeled as taboo, on a topic that makes
means you can’t function. You can’t be
gets
established it’s going to be impossible
some
people
uncomfortable,”
says
Okamoto
looking for a job during that time. So that’s
to shut down,” says Cohen.
“I think they’re geniuses,” says Debbie
four to six days a month where you have to
“This is the type of issue that once you
Borgelt, director of Outpatient and
basically be secluded.”
start talking about it, makes so much sense
Residential Chemical Dependency Services
Having experienced homelessness and
that you can’t stop.” Okamoto agrees. “With
of Central City Concern at the Letty Owings
life in shelters herself, Okamoto understood
a strong board and a strong leadership team
Center, a treatment center for new and
firsthand the struggles women staying in
we’re
confident that Camions of Care is
expecting
mothers.
“These
wonderful
caring
shelters and sleeping outside face first-hand.
gonna be here for a while.”
people saw a need and just met i t ” Before
“In talking to women (at the shelters) the
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