Tulsa Period Pantry began in Cassie Celestain’s home closet, delivering free period products to two partner schools. Five years later, the nonprofit supplies period pantries in 100 Tulsa-area schools, giving over 63,000 girls access to essential products supporting their hygiene, confidence and school attendance.
Celestain no longer does it alone. One week every month, hundreds of volunteers join forces to collect, pack and deliver products to restock pantries at their partner locations. They spent the last five years perfecting the system. Now, Tulsa Period Pantry is ready to share this model.
“We figured out how to create a sustainable system of getting products, getting it to schools, getting it to girls, along with the support that it takes to do the systems,” Celestain told the Flyer. “And so we’re going to be sharing those resources with other communities in Oklahoma.”
The Period Pantry Accelerator is the group’s response to consistent requests from communities and schools outside of Tulsa.
“We know that period poverty is an issue in Tulsa County,” Celestain said. “But we also know that in more rural communities, the resources are even less than in the city.”
Supporters celebrated the milestone at a Sept. 23 benefit breakfast. With 188 registrants signed up, the period pantry has come a long way from hoping to fill 50 seats at their inaugural benefit event a few years ago.
A one-time donation provides temporary relief — but training communities to replicate their system will create lasting support for girls who need it across Oklahoma, Celestain said. She isn’t sure yet whether these communities will fit within TPP or become sister organizations — but she’s devoted to ending period poverty in whatever way works best.
It’s a mission to which she feels personally called. At the benefit, Celestain shared her experience as an adolescent who lacked access to period products.
“I was raised in poverty … we were having the state help with groceries and different things, but it doesn’t provide period products,” she said.
How to get involved
Tulsa Period Pantry accepts cash, Amazon and physical donations. Volunteers can also help sort and drop off products across the county. It also runs a youth advisory board for high school students that accepts applications each spring. Find more information here.
When she discovered that one in four girls experience period poverty, she knew the uncertainty they faced month after month. That statistic sparked her decision to begin collecting products for local schools.
Turning the organization into what it is today came with challenges. Between being a mother, homeschooling her children and owning a separate business, Celestain didn’t have much breathing room when the pantry first started. In a critical moment, Celestain leaned on her faith.
“I was just praying that like, ‘God, if you want me to do this, I need some kind of sign,’” Celestain said.
Within the hour, Pearl Society, a women’s affinity group run by the Jewish Federation of Tulsa, invited her to speak at their period poverty event, and they offered to collect products that wouldn’t fit in her home. “Wow, God, that was kind of fast,” was her reaction.
TPP is just 19 schools shy of their goal to provide free products to all middle schools, high schools and vocation and technology schools in the county. Tulsa Public Schools’ recent proposal to close 17 campuses included some locations that the pantry services.
While those closures may impact the pantry’s overall numbers, the pantry’s mission continues — and, soon, from a new office space.
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