#Rise4Justice on V-day 2014

   Tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day (February 14^th, 2014), the global movement to end violence against women and girls and the ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE, will celebrate its second international show of support for women.  ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is a call to women, men, and youth around the world to gather safely on February 14, 2014 outside places where they are entitled to justice including court houses, police stations, government offices, school administration buildings, work places, sites of environmental justice, military courts, embassies, places of worship, homes or simply public gathering places where women deserve to feel safe, but too often, do not.

   Eve Ensler, founder of V-Day and One Billion Rising and creator of The Vagina Monologues said, “ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE is a call to survivors and their allies to break the silence – politically, ourtrageously, artistically –through art, dance, marches, ritual, song, spoken word, testimonies and other ways that best express their outrage, their need, their desire and their joy.”

   With the smattering of news spread across the New York Times newspaper and social media regarding the plight of Dylan Farrow against her alleged abuser, the highly acclaimed Woody Allen, women are seeing that survivors can and should have a voice.  Farrow has stood by her testimony for years while Hollywood has protected many known drug abusers and criminals–and this case seems little different.  Without taking sides, onlookers can see that Farrow has stood strong using her written voice to showcase the same facts as detailed years and years ago, not only to likely continue her recovery, but to give other rape and abuse survivors hope and inspiration —  that even in the wake of torment, women must speak loudly and with strength to combat the shame, guilt, grief, pain, rage, and humiliation they are frequently subject to.  (http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/07/showbiz/woody-allen-dylan-farrow-letter/)

Period Packs proudly supports ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE and V-Day, and encourages all to view the new short film called “Rising” by South African filmmaker Tony Stroebel which features global footage from One Billion Rising 2013 (www.onebillionrising.org/619/risingvideo/)

For more than 15 years, V-Day activists have mobilized more than 200 countries and have worked tirelessly on a grassroots level to demand and end all forms of violence against women and girls.  In the face of resistance, V-Day activists have raised consciousness, changed laws, funded rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters (often keeping the doors open), educated their communities and raised more than $100 million for groups doing the essential work of ending violence and serving survivors.  In Massachusetts, the statewide support organization is Jane Doe, Inc. (www.janedoe.org).

    To get involved with V-Day  (www.vday.org) and ONE BILLION RISING FOR JUSTICE(www.onebillionrising.org):  

Sign up at: www.onebillionrising.org

Like Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vday

Twitter: @VDay; #rise4justice

Watch “Rising” (www.onebillionrising.org/619/risingvideo/)

Find and participate in a local #rise4justice event: http://www.onebillionrising.org/events/#!/0/0/1/

Celebrate and share PINK’s #rise4justice video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsFTpBg8tTc

*Information gathered from www.onebillionrising.org. 

Period Packs, Inc. Teams with Buckshotinc

To further differentiate its unique gift box line, Period Packs today announced a relationship with designer Christy Hundley of buckshotinc., adding hand-crafted feminine hygiene privacy pouches to its line of gift boxes.

“As a mompreneur myself, I’m always looking for ways to collaborate with other mom-owned businesses,” said Wendy Agudelo, chief maxi of Period Packs, Inc.  “Our network is powerful and filled with smart, successful, savvy moms who operate not only in the trenches with their families, but at professional business levels. Each understands our daily juggling act, while appreciating and supporting one another towards our own individual successes.”

For nearly three years, Period Packs has brought a sense of celebration and understanding to young ladies across the country – specifically focusing on the onset of menses. Through uniquely-designed, feminine, and stylish Period Packs, the company provides the necessary information and ‘tools’ for a young woman to prepare for her monthly cycle. Through its online presence and blog, Pack Talk, the company also provides updated tips and a knowledge base of women-focused resources and information related to menstruation and women’s health.

The youngest of four, and a born artist, Christy Hundley (whose nickname growing up was ‘buckshot’), founded buckshotinc and has been designing, sewing and selling her designs via Etsy for nearly two years. She said, “I am absolutely thrilled to team up with Period Packs, and am excited to be given the opportunity to provide gifts to young girls entering womanhood.”

Ranked as a Top 200 Leading Moms in Business (Startupnation.com/2012), Period Packs™ specializes in theme gifts for young ladies entering menses and postnatal mothers. Based in Massachusetts, the company was founded by a mom with a mission to ‘welcome young ladies to womanhood.’ Through a series of uniquely designed gift boxes, Period Packs brings a sense of celebration and understanding about the onset of menses. The company strives to educate woman about global female-focused news through its blog, Pack Talk, and also offers gifts for girls in need via its Pink Packs program. For more information about Period Packs, visit www.periodpacks.com.

New boxes….

This year has been filled with a variety of exciting developments–including the very expansion of the menstrual awareness business overall. Several more companies have emerged (internationally and domestically) that are championing everything from positive body image to menstruation awareness and preparation. For us, this is a dramatic sweep towards a much brighter future for young women across the world–many who suffer in silence once their menstrual cycle begins. Some cultures sequester their young women, while others are literally forced to drop out of school as menstruation is viewed as ‘dirty’ and an almost contagious negative female trait that could potentially harm others. While we simply cannot change centuries of spiritual or culture belief systems, we can try to educate and make aware current populations of parents, caregivers and young women themselves, and provide them with the supplies they need to manage the biological process of female development with more comfort and less fear. Ultimately, that is at our core. 

This year, Period Pack has also expanded its gift box offerings. We now deliver menstrual cup gift boxes–our ‘Cuppy Chic’ Period Pack containing a menstrual cup. 

Made of medical grade silicone and worn inside the vagina to collect menstrual fluid, menstrual cups are safe, reusable, easily cleaned and cared for and also help to reduce landfill waste.  Rather than absorbing menstrual fluid and then disposing of either the pad or tampon, menstrual cups—which can be worn swimming and rarely leak, collect fluid which can then be emptied into a toilet without any additional waste. The economic benefit to most women is that non-disposable menstrual cups need only be replaced once every 10 years. Finally, menstrual cups have been proven safe for use as directed and no health risks related to their use have been found.

Additionally, we have added new mom-made products to our gift boxes–providing even further uniqueness.  One of our newest are privacy pouches, which when not being used to carry feminine hygiene products or wipes, can be used to carry sunglasses, phone, money, lip gloss and other items. 

Our website will re-launch shortly with these and many other new additions. We’re thrilled at the growth in our industry, and the knowledge we’ve gained of other woman-owned businesses that support menstrual awareness. Stay tuned for further developments as more are on the way! 

Happy Holidays…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the holidays approach, our team gets so excited. Everyone breaks out their glue guns and crafting bins and spends time after work on all sorts of designs for teachers, neighbors, friends and family members.  We’ve discovered that our little network of ‘creatives’ comes up with many wonderful ideas–some even worthy of Pinterest!   The holidays remind us so much of what has become an integral part of our every day lives–our relationships.  Amid the hubbub of careers, school, volunteerism and various activities, we can easily forget or occasional sideline relationships. The holiday break provides a nice pause and many opportunities to re-engage those relationships: mother/daughter, father/son, brother/sister, aunt/niece, neighbor/neighbor and so on. We hope you’ll invest in some of those special moments this holiday season.  We know we will! 

In the spirit of ‘re-engagement’ of relationships, our team has spent time over the last few weeks expressing our creativity and trialing new designs. Here are a few of the adorable results of those efforts…. 

How adorable is this ‘Reindeer Food?” Created by the lovely DWV, the bag is filled with reindeer goodies (oatmeal, sanding sugar) and glitter. Simple, easy and so cute to give as a gift to the kids in your neighborhood. 

 

 

When you come across ‘hard to shop for’ adults, we find that being creative can help! Here, for example, is just some delicious adult beverages and candy, that when combined with a fun poem, becomes a sweet holiday gift that you can create for well under $10.00. Perfect for Yankee Swaps, Secret Santas and the like.

It’s the holiday season you know,

And we wanted to send some thing.

A little bottle of yumminess,

So merrily may you sing.

Holiday tunes or funky songs,

Whichever…you decide.

But know we appreciate all you do,

So please…enjoy your Mudslide!

                  ~ Happy Holidays! 

 

In our workshop, we frequently experiment with unique box designs as boxes are our business. Here’s what one of our team members created from a bunch of empty inventory boxes and greenery from around her property. We’ve really enjoyed the foray towards the holidays this year. Along with delivering gift boxes to young girls entering womanhood, we remind ourselves that we are a sisterhood of fun, creative and unique women. Together, we can do just about anything! 

 

 

 

As you begin your celebrations–all across the globe–we hope you’ll feel the warm wishes being sent your way from Team Period Packs! Happy Holidays! 

Shock, Surprise and Snickers….

  It still makes me smile…as I (Wendy, chief maxi of Period Packs)  make my way to my children’s school or around town on errands, when car drivers (and their passengers), see the ‘Period Packs delivery van’ on the road, at the car wash or in a parking lot somewhere.  The camera phones quickly emerge from pockets and I catch a glimpse of light in my rear view mirror as passersby snap photos while expressions of shock and surprise rest on their faces.

Interestingly, it doesn’t matter what age (or sex) since our van grabs the attention of pretty much everyone who sees it.  No, it isn’t even pink–just your average silver minivan, with our business name and website on it.  You’d think we were driving the Weinermobile with some of the looks we get. Yet, the only ones we’re concerned about are the drivers — who either speed up to get close enough to take a picture with their camera phones, or take their hands off the wheel entirely—just to grab the shot.

Not a day goes by that our delivery van gains a coveted spot in someone’s camera phone. We appreciate the interest of course, but have also learned a lot from just putting the word “period” out there in public. Some of the responses have actually surprised us,–when we see young girls cover their mouths and hide their eyes with embarrassment—even though they aren’t the ones in or driving our van! We see the smiles and outbursts of laughter from boys and men who cannot sit behind our van in traffic without snapping photos or falling into hysterics. Some also seem utterly dumbfounded by our business name and stare at it in an effort to decipher its meaning. They seem fearful, unsure and really confused.

What have we learned?

(a)  We learned, most importantly, that we’ve chosen an awesome name for our business. Thanks!

(b)  We learned that just by putting words out there in public, we’re initiating dialogue about menstruation across all ages and sex. We don’t mind if you laugh—as we’re clearly doing our job—and doing it well!

(c)   Finally, we learned that we can get your attention by simply cementing a word on our car that is not frequently seen and even to this day remains relatively taboo. Part of our mission is to make menstruation less a topic of embarrassment.

In short, our goals are being met and the advertising on our delivery vehicle is hitting the mark. That makes us feel pretty good!  We appreciate all the photo taking (whether for later mocking or even order placement)! What we also like is that there is an immediate response (photo taking combined with human emotion – be it shock, surprise and/or snickers).  From our vantage point, we’ve hit a home run!

Now, we know what you are thinking…. “Whhaaatttt! Oh my gosh!! Something about your period! I’m horrified!”  Well, we’re not.  Actually, we’re trying to help you not be so horrified and instead, aim to deliver a message of goodwill to make you feel more comfortable, educated and not as nervous about a biologic certainty for all young women.  We’re not suggesting wearing a t-shirt that says, “Hey, I have my period and I’m proud.” Nope…not at all.  But, we are trying to make the foray towards womanhood a little less threatening and embarrassing.  With knowledge and preparation, what at first seems awkward, will soon become a walk in the park.

 But PLEASE…. be careful when driving!!!

We try to slow down when we see your phones in our rear view mirror, and often smile when we see your faces behind us or as you drive by. And really, we don’t mind when you laugh or throw photos on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter. Just do us a favor and link back to us sometime (#periodpacks).

“It’s my peeerriooooddd…., it’s my period….”

New ‘ode to menstruation’ song (musical theater) by Lena D who said “the goal of this song is to reduce shame and embarrassment that women feel regarding their time of month.”

It is literally stuck on our heads now…and members of Team Period Packs have been breaking out in unexpected song when grabbing a coffee or heading to the ladies room…”It’s my peeeeerrrioooddd…it’s my peeeriooodd…it’s my peeeeerrrrr iiii ooodddd.” Hilarious. Well done, Lena!!

I need a bra? Now what?

For many young ladies, needing a bra is one of the first outwardly noticeable, physical signs that puberty is underway and that your menstrual cycle will soon begin. Breast ‘buds’ (true medical terminology here) are what your breasts are called when they emerge from your chest and begin to grow. Some young women develop quickly, while others may develop more slowly and maintain breast buds for a longer period of time. Either way, as your breasts begin to emerge, it is actually important to provide them proper support so that they develop properly—and comfortably.  And this is the point when your parents may begin to talk with you about bras.

Fortunately, bras come in all sorts of styles and sizes to fit the unique needs and taste of each woman. Some prefer plain, classic colors such as nude, white or black, while others may prefer more racy styles like leopard print, reds, or polka dots. No matter what your style, lingerie manufacturers Victoria’s Secret, Justice, Wet Seal, Hanes, Maidenform, and a slew of others have what you seek, and they have it in a variety of colors, forms and price ranges.

Yet it’s exactly that—the sheer volume of choices—that can make purchasing a bra a challenge.

Interestingly, a controversy has erupted over bras for young woman as retailers now sell form or padded bra options for young women. These bra styles mimic developed breasts when worn underneath clothing, and can give even young girls (ages 7-10) boobs before their breast buds have even developed. Because of this, a chasm of controversy has developed as parents struggle to keep the physical sexuality of their young daughters in check, as manufacturers push the envelope to develop more racy bra styles. This troubling dichotomy of opinions has reached fever pitch:

“Teens have enough problems with their body image to not allow them to buy them if they want to do so. If a girl is slow to develop and feels inferior to her peers, buying a bra of that type could be an easy fix to the problem. It is no better or worse than a young girl that is too quick to develop wrapping her breasts to make them look smaller.

“My daughter is 14 and finds the push up bras more comfortable. She isn’t wearing them to put her chest on display. No matter what decade you look into from the burning bra era to a lace top over the bra there are always going to be a controversy of one way or another.”

So, what are young women to do? Fear that making a decision about their intimate wear will scar them for life, or worse, stimulate even more negative body image concerns? We hope not…..

Realistically, parents set the tone for and place proper context around what is best for their young daughters. For our part however, we scheduled a field trip to two lingerie stores to uncover the best advice we could on how to find the perfect bra. The answer we got (and we quote more than one sales clerk here) is “personal preference,” but the crucial nuggets we gained are: COMFORT and SUPPORT.

And that is the long and short of it–when selecting a bra, find one that is comfortable and provides support—and you will have uncovered the Holy Grail!

Now, you are probably thinking….whaaaaaattt? How do you know how a bra feels or whether it delivers proper support? The answer: visit a lingerie store (or two or three) and get busy trying them on. When you first enter, you’ll see words that define the immense diversity of available bra options: ‘Demi, push up, full coverage, low cut, 2- 3, – or 4-hook, underwire, wire free, padded, foam, strapless, lace, cotton, t-shirt’…and more.

To avoid this madness all at once, we will simply highlight the easiest bra type to wear as breasts begin to develop called bralettes—akin to half-camisoles or t-shirts, with bra-like straps (see photo).  They come in a variety of colors and styles, but can be worn extremely comfortably under clothes, while allowing your body to develop naturally with support.  You’ll have plenty of time to shop and search for bras over the years as breasts (and your style preferences) will change over time due to age, weight and hormones—each of which works to modify your cup size and ultimately, how a bra fits. But, even as these changes occur, the predominant factor in bra selection isn’t necessarily the color, style or even the price– it’s the FIT.

Yes, you’ve got it, ladies, how a bra ‘feels’ when you wear it (and how it makes you feel while you wear it…) as well as whether or not it delivers proper support are the main deal breakers.

Have fun shopping…we did!

Tips:

(1)   Most, if not all major lingerie stores will happily measure you for fit. Take advantage of this free service and ASK to be MEASURED/FITTED so that you can accurately select bras that will fit you.

(2)  Select a variety of bra styles and TRY THEM ON while at the store. Nothing is more frustrating than buying bras in the proper size (and styles you like) and then getting them home only to find out that they just don’t feel comfortable.

(3)  Buy in both basic and fun colors/styles.  Having classic colors in your lingerie drawer is a plus (white, nude/flesh/black), and having more fun colors is an added bonus.  It can be frustrating when you purchase a deep purple bra you love, but then wear it underneath a white t-shirt and it shows…a lot. Variety will provide more fashion freedom.

 http://www.shopjustice.com/girls-clothing/pjs-bras-panties

http://www.onehanesplace.com/

http://www.victoriassecret.com/bras

http://www.maidenform.com/

http://www.wetseal.com/catalog/category.jsp?categoryId=107

A Beautiful Young Lady’s Perspective on Period Packs’ Fresh Scent Pack…

Miss Hannah of HannahCosmetics12 (and her following of shadow babies), reviews Period Packs’ Fresh Scent Period Pack and shares her thoughts about its contents and useage.

A short letter to the Teacher…..

Oh, the collective and highly audible ‘sigh’ heard this week emanated from the chorus of parents who delivered their children back to school in the Northeast. We were right there alongside, watching our cherubs—backpacks firmly connected to their shoulders—march off to school. I myself sent off a First Grader and twin Kindergarteners. It was a massive undertaking, and it is the first time in 8 years that I’ve been able to go to work—and not double as a caregiver while working.  A totally, unbelievable, refreshing experience!! No more, “Mommmmmmmeeeeeeeeeeyyyyy” from the living room, no tripping over toys, and no more stinky diapers.  Wow…could this be..Heaven??? What will await their teachers however, so we’ll begin with a simple apology: I’m so sorry.

It would be incredibly wrong to lie to you about how fun our summer. We roasted marshmallows and made s’mores across many a fire pit. We traveled to amusement parks—including Hershey’s Chocolate World.

We spent hours in the pool, the ocean and fresh water ponds, followed by hours chasing seagulls and building cool stuff in the sand.  While we picked up Harry Potter a few times, the reality is that we spent more hours looking at the stars, or watching our children unlock new levels in LEGO Batman and Angry Birds on the iPad.  We enjoyed backyard BBQs, volleyball, baseball and park crawls with our cousins. The whole idea of arithmetic just seemingly went by the wayside.  In truth, it was much akin to the summers of my own youth (now miles in the distance) – when I focused more on being a kid and less on being the success story my father wanted me to be.

In short, it was fantastic!

Now, in returning to the classroom, textbooks, pencils, crayons and expectations, my three exuberant kiddos must now slot themselves back into ‘routines,’ and ‘closed mouths/listening ears.’  It’s a tough to transition, so I’m expecting some poor behavior.  So again, I apologize.

The reality however is that I have no desire to raise ‘automatons.’ In fact, I’d much prefer raising a young lady and young men who find out for themselves where their passions (and weaknesses) lay, so that one day, they can discover where they ‘fit’ into this life.  They may not color inside the lines, but most successful people don’t ever color inside the lines.  They oftentimes draw outside of them.  I encourage my kids to abide by the rules, but should they break them, please ask first why they did so, before scolding. Oftentimes you will learn that they did something to protect or assist another child, thus putting themselves in harm’s way. Trust me, I’ve learned this to be true.

In a week or two, we know they’ll fall back into a proper routine and will prove to be the children their father and I worked hard to raise well. And if they don’t, just give me a call.  Once I break free from my DVR, which is now fully stocked with all the shows, movies and docudramas that I haven’t watched in YEARS, I’ll get back to you.

~Mama Wendy

“Menstruation Madness” or #MenstruationMadness….

Since the arrival of last week’s online video advertisement “Camp Gyno,” we’ve been asked over and over again how we feel about it.

   Frankly, we feel great!! 

Monthly subscription tampon delivery service HelloFlo created the ad which rapidly went viral and raised awareness about the onset of menstruation in a creative, cute and progressive manner. What’s more to say—you go, HelloFlo girls!

As a monthly feminine hygiene delivery service, HelloFlo is completely different from Period Packs. Beyond the fact that we’ve been around for nearly 4 years already, Period Packs are a unique, theme-based gift box company that ‘welcomes young ladies to womanhood.’ We celebrate the onset of menstruation, the arrival of post-natal periods and finally, the advent of menopause. We have no desire to show up at your door every single month.  That seems silly to us. But, we do want women to feel special, if not once, at least a few times in their lives when their uterus’/vaginas decide to bleed (or not bleed as the case may be with perimenopause or menopause).

Monthly subscription box businesses have been in existence a few years now—a la Birchbox (the most famous), Citrus Lane, Kiwi Crate, MommeBox and the like. Those companies engage subscribers with new and sample products each month for themselves or their children.

AWESOME idea!!!   

It’s such an awesome idea, in fact,  that in the last 6-12 months, several women-owned startups have arrived in an emerging market space we’ve dubbed “Menstruation Madness.”  

Le Parcel, HelloFlo, Juniper, Aunt Ruby, just to name a few, seek to deliver customer-guided feminine hygiene items to their door,  and the question remains—will they last? CONVENIENT…for sure. Desired? We’re not at all sure. Only time will tell….

At the same time, female entrepreneurs have carved out their own important niches by delivering specific products for the time of a woman’s menstrual flow such as Scensibles (feminine hygiene products disposal), Ruby’s Red Wash (eco-friendly menstrual stain remover), Period Panteez (period undergarments), Goddess Moons, Maxim Hygiene, DivaCup, Lunette..and the list goes on!

What it proves is that #MenstruationMadness is occurring, right now! And, to be a member of a new, emerging sisterhood initiating said wave, is intensely cool.  Our business was born from a void — and an imminent need. We’ve been filling that void for the last few years, and certainly hope to continue to do so well into the future.

Interestingly though, reactions to and options about the Camp Gyno ad have been seriously mixed.  Some are riddled with concern about where and how young women receive menstruation education,  while others desire burying their uncomfortable heads in the sand while a school official or doctor has the discussion with their precious daughters.

What remains shocking to us is that in this day and age (with broad availability of information/resources — thank you, Internet), that anyone remains uncomfortable with the subject of menstruation. It’s a biological certainty for every, single female! Period! Additionally, tampon and maxi pad ads flood television screens and social media daily—yet some still find it uncomfortable to go buy feminine hygiene products at a store? C’mon!! What gives?

It is our belief that the main reason for discomfort stems from parental fear of talking about S-E-X with their young girls. It’s beyond awkward for most—and downright blasphemous for some! Universally across the U.S., frank talk about sex verges on taboo due to cultural, social, spiritual or family beliefs, However, the TRUTH is that menstruation is NOT at all tied to sex. It simply is not.

Girls today may get their first period as young as 7years of age—well before their first sexual encounter is reported by researchers to occur. Why then would parents tackle a discussion about sex at the same time they are discussing menstruation?? Bottom line—they shouldn’t.  Menstruation is a woman’s body initiating puberty. Boys get body hair, body odor and acne, but women endure far more, so a discussion about menstruation is more about her own personal care (managing feminine hygiene options and their disposal, grooming, and of course, introduction to a gynecologist for a variety of medical reasons).

With that in mind, Period Packs supports parents and dialogue about menstruation by turning a would-be awkward and tender time in a young woman’s life, into a privately-celebratory catalyst for open discussion about a sensitive but important topic. Our company delivers uniquely-designed gift boxes for women —  and our mission remains the same, to make our clients feel special and celebrated whether they are entering womanhood, welcoming a new baby, or reaching menopause. These moments in women’s lives are in many ways a celebration of femininity and its various stages.

And that, in short is what Period Packs are about:

Celebrating women and their femininity.

Contact us and we’ll prove our street cred.