Period Palooza kicks off in Colorado Springs to fight period poverty
Effort supports new state law requiring free period products in schools
Published: May 14, 2025 at 8:41 AM CDT
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – Volunteers gathered Wednesday at the Hilton Garden Inn North for the first-ever PeriodPalooza event, helping Colorado schools provide free period products to students.
The event supports House Bill 24-1164, which requires middle and high schools to offer free period products in all girls’ and gender-neutral bathrooms.
Organizers say the need is urgent. A recent study found that 80% of Colorado teens have missed class due to lack of access to period products. Another 90% have started their period in public without supplies, and 66% have missed activities like sports or clubs.
“I tried to help our local pantry, and that’s when I found out they were lucky to have six pads or six tampons for one men straighter. I knew something had to change, and from there, that rolled into diapers and then hygiene in general. That was a little over three and a half years ago. We have now provided over 5.7 million units of hygiene across our state and passed legislation,” said Diana Cushman Neal, founder of Justice Necessary, the nonprofit behind the effort.
Volunteers packed one-month supply kits to send to 460 schools across the state. In the Colorado Springs area, 43 schools across seven districts will receive more than 334,000 period products and 223 dispensers. Participating districts include:
- Colorado Springs School District 11
- Harrison School District 2
- Peyton School District 23 J
- Park County School District RE-2
- Lewis Palmer School District 38
- Cripple Creek-Victor Secondary
- James Irwin Charter Schools
- Eastlake High School
- Vanguard School
- Mesa Ridge High School
Each district applied to receive supplies for its middle and high schools. To volunteer or donate, visit justicenecessary.org.