Easy Flow
Team members: Jorge Aceves, Yendelela Neely Holston, Eric Hyyppa, David Merhib, Catherine Perry, Autumn Phillips, Roshella Smalls, Jason Terrell
Homeless Period Project: Their story
• The Homeless Period Project was founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Greenville, SC
• Its mission is to provide menstrual hygiene products (period packs) to those in need while educating and advocating to end the stigma of menstruation
• Chapters now include 4 locations in SC as well as locations in NC, GA, MO and CA
• Lack of access to menstrual hygiene is both tremendous and global
• It is a problem that affects menstruation-age women of all ethnicities and in all communities
• Period products are not covered by government grocery assistance programs like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC)
• A Period Pack is a small package that contains a supply of products for one woman including tampons, pads and wipes
Homeless Period Project: Their challenges and need
Currently, the organization is challenged with:
• Inconsistent transportation practices for deliveries to out of state locations
• Local deliveries are supported by a team of volunteers utilizing personal vehicles for local deliveries
• Limited staff that stifled the growth, project development, and capacity of the organization
In the future, the organization needs:
• Consistent transportation practices for local deliveries as well as out of state locations
• Partnerships with non-profits that share same or similar target audience
• Volunteers and staff to cover administrative responsibilities associated with local deliveries, shipments
• A possible solution to the Homeless Period Project’s need to deliver shipments of period packs and other supplies from a central warehouse location to the various community distribution partners they serve.
Recommendations to The Homeless Period Project;
• Establish account with uShip to bring a consistent transportation solution for local deliveries as well as out of state shipments
• Choose a shipment to serve as a test case to:
• Learn more about their processes
• Ensure sufficient interest in the contractor pool for uShip exists in the Greenville area
• Make certain the bid responses are cost-effective
• Partner with non-profits that share same or similar target audience to ensure period packs are reaching disadvantaged
• Recent hire of part-time staff will cover administrative responsibilities associated with local deliveries, shipments