The Period Purse

What The Period Purse does

The Period Purse is a Canadian registered charity (BN: 723888327 RR 0001), founded in 2017 by Jana Girdauskas, that addresses period poverty and menstrual stigma through three integrated pillars: Education, Access, and Advocacy. The organization distributes free menstrual products (pads, tampons, menstrual cups, discs, cloth pads, period underwear) to vulnerable populations across Canada via a network of community partner organizations including shelters, food banks, community health centers, and grassroots groups. It has cumulatively donated over 6.6 million period products and educated more than 13,000 people since inception, with 56 Canadian cities having declared May 28 as Menstrual Health Day and 22+ cities actively participating in annual advocacy campaigns.

The organization's service offerings span in-person and virtual education workshops (delivered in English and French) targeting youth, caregivers, workplaces, and community groups; a downloadable Resource Library with materials in 11 languages including Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Mohawk, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Urdu; animated educational videos; and the M.Nation App, a period tracking mobile application launched in 2024 and available on iOS and Android. The technology footprint is modest and mission-aligned rather than platform-driven, comprising the M.Nation App, a Podia-hosted Training Portal, and content/website infrastructure. The founder has transitioned to an advisory role, and the organization operates from a single headquarters at Dymon Storage in Etobicoke, Ontario.

The Period Purse is a donation-funded nonprofit and does not generate revenue from product or service sales. Revenue streams consist of individual donations (including a recurring monthly donor program branded "Bloody Legends"), corporate giving (sponsors such as Hanes, Joni, Michael Hill, Trisura), in-kind product donations from consumer brands, and federal government funding via Women and Gender Equality Canada (WAGE) and other government programs. The beneficiary base is intentionally broad, spanning people experiencing homelessness, racialized and Indigenous communities, 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals, low-income families, newcomers to Canada, youth in under-resourced schools, people affected by gender-based violence, and people with disabilities. The organization is explicitly restricted by Canadian tax law from supporting individuals or organizations outside Canada.

Name

The Period Purse

Legal name

The Period Purse

Website

https://theperiodpurse.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Period Purse is a Canadian registered charity founded in 2017 that provides free menstrual products, bilingual education workshops, and advocacy to address period poverty among vulnerable populations across Canada, distributing over 6.6 million products through a network of community partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Etobicoke

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and monthly donations from individuals. Monthly donors are called 'Bloody Legends' and provide recurring support for education, advocacy, and product access programs.
2. Corporate Giving: Corporate partnerships and sponsorships from companies supporting menstrual equity. Organizations can contact the team to discuss partnership opportunities.
3. Product Donations: In-kind donations of menstrual products (pads, tampons, menstrual cups, discs, cloth pads, period underwear) distributed to partner organizations serving vulnerable populations.
4. Government Funding: Funding from government bodies including Women and Gender Equality Canada and other federal/provincial programs supporting menstrual equity initiatives.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Period Purse collects and distributes free menstrual products (pads, tampons, menstrual cups, discs, cloth pads, period underwear) to vulnerable populations across Canada through a network of community partner organizations including shelters, food banks, and community health centers. It complements this product access with free bilingual education workshops for schools, workplaces, and community groups, a multi-language educational resource library, advocacy campaigns such as Menstrual Health Day, and the M.Nation period-tracking mobile app.

Product overview

The Period Purse is Canada's first registered menstrual equity charity, operating as a single integrated charitable organization rather than a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering centers on providing free menstrual products to those experiencing period poverty through community partner distribution, complemented by free educational services including workshops (for youth, workplaces, and community groups) and a resource library of videos, how-to guides, and downloadable materials available in 11 languages. The organization also offers the M.Nation App, a period tracking mobile application, and maintains the Bloody Good Blog for advocacy content. The Training Portal (hosted on Podia) provides supplementary educational courses. These offerings are unified under the mission of menstrual equity through the pillars of Education, Access, and Advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• M.Nation App: The first period tracking app launched by The Period Purse, designed to help users track their menstrual cycles.

Products and services

• Community Partner Product Access Program Program providing free menstrual products (pads, tampons, menstrual cups, discs, cloth pads, period underwear) to community organizations serving vulnerable populations including shelters, food banks, and health centers across Canada. Partners must commit to menstrual education programs.
• Education Workshops Free workshops for schools (grades 5–12), workplaces, and community groups covering menstrual health, products, and equity. Available in English and French, offered both online and in-person across Canada, bookable through the organization's website.
• M.Nation App A period tracking mobile application designed to help users monitor their menstrual cycles. It is the first period tracking app launched by The Period Purse and is available on iOS and Android.
• Resource Library Downloadable educational resources including how-to guides, toolkits, lesson plans, and materials on period products and menstrual equity, available in 11 languages including Arabic, English, French, Mandarin, Mohawk, Ojibway, Punjabi, Spanish, Tagalog, Ukrainian, and Urdu.
• Educational Videos Short animated explainers and real-life stories about periods, stigma, and menstrual equity, covering topics such as puberty, period products, menstrual cups and discs, historical perspectives, and transgender inclusivity.
• Training Portal Online training platform powered by Podia that provides educational courses and materials for menstrual health education, accessible to learners across Canada.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6.6M+ period products donated to communities in need
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Food Banks CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational food bank network partner helping distribute menstrual products alongside food assistance to vulnerable Canadians.
• HanesmajorOthersCorporate sponsor and product donor supporting menstrual equity initiatives across Canada.
• JonimajorOthersJoni brand period products featured in educational materials and distributed through The Period Purse network.
• Michael HillmajorOthersCorporate sponsor supporting The Period Purse menstrual equity programs.
• RotarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRotary Club partners supporting community-level menstrual equity initiatives and product distribution programs.
• TrisurasupportingOthersCorporate sponsor contributing to The Period Purse operations and programs.
• Friends of RubycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerToronto community location serving 2SLGBTQIA+ youth, partnered on inclusive menstrual health resources. The Period Purse developed the 'Periods Have No Gender' resource with this partner.
• Ve'ahavtacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJewish humanitarian organization distributing menstrual product kits through their van to people experiencing homelessness in Toronto.
• Dymon StoragesupportingOthersStorage facility in Etobicoke housing The Period Purse headquarters and product distribution operations.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• I Support the Girls: US-based non-profit collecting and distributing menstrual products to people experiencing homelessness and poverty. Comparable distribution-to-vulnerable-populations model.
• Days for Girls International: Global non-profit addressing period poverty through reusable pad kits and education programs. Highly comparable in combining product access with education and advocacy.
• PERIOD. US-based registered non-profit focused on menstrual equity through product distribution, education, and policy advocacy. Closest direct peer in mission, model, and target population.
• Period Equity: US-based non-profit advocating for policy change to eliminate the tampon tax and expand access to menstrual products. Comparable advocacy-first operating model.
• The Cup Foundation: Non-profit focused on menstrual health education and product access for vulnerable populations. Comparable education-and-access orientation.

Others

• DivaCup: Leading commercial menstrual cup brand with a sustainability and education focus. Adjacent because the product category is central to The Period Purse's distribution and education work.
• Thinx: Commercial period underwear brand with a mission-oriented positioning and donations program. Adjacent because it sells products that The Period Purse distributes as donations.

Broad incumbents

• United Way: Large Canadian federated charity that funds menstrual equity and community programs including some that receive Period Purse donations. Adjacent as a funder and channel rather than a direct competitor.
• Plan International Canada: Large international development NGO that includes menstrual hygiene programming in its global gender equality work. Adjacent in addressing period poverty at scale, with much broader mandate.

Emerging players

• Aunt Flow: B2B-focused period product provider that donates one product for every one purchased and works with schools and businesses. Comparable mission with a commercial hybrid model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThePeriodPurse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC2YgDU_9XxbjJsGGvXwxwyA
• Facebookfacebook.com/theperiodpurse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-period-purse-ca
• Instagraminstagram.com/theperiodpurse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Period Purse