This week, the J and the broader Hampton Roads community came together with a mission in mind, drawn together by an unusual task - fighting period poverty.
Just in time for Period Poverty Awareness Week, Jewish Peninsula launched a new signature social action initiative, hosting the new Virginia Peninsula Chapter of Dignity Grows. The national organization originated out of Jewish Federations to become a nation-wide leader in the fight to combat period poverty. Period poverty, the lack or uncertain access to basic menstrual hygiene supplies, is skyrocketing across the country. Most recent studies indicate that two in every five people who menstruate will experience period poverty, and over 45% of those respondents say the lack of access to basic hygiene supplies impacts their ability to go to school or work. (Period Poverty in America: Evidence and Insights, 2025, Dignity Grows)
Dignity Grows is responding to this healthcare crisis across the country through a multi-tiered approach: from large scale national research to local efforts to local efforts that put hygiene products directly in the hands of those who need them most. Tote bags packed with a full month's worth of essentials, including everything from pads and tampons to shampoo and toothpaste, are distributed through pick up sites within the community.
Jewish Peninsula, with generous support from TowneBank and The Joseph A. and Phyllis A. Stern Philanthropic Fund, launched the initiative here on the Virginia Peninsula with six distribution sites throughout the region. Distribution partners include: Alternatives Inc., ECHO Family Care Partners, Hampton Public Libraries, Hampton Veterans Association Healthcare System, THRIVE Peninsula and Williamsburg Regional Libraries.
In the span of an hour, nearly 50 community members spanning all ages collectively packed 300 of these essential tote bag that will go directly into the community - that’s five bags every minute.
Don’t take our word for it, community members were excited about getting in on the first pack:
"It was so nice to get my kids involved in an easy volunteering project and prompt good discussions about community, service and what other people may experience. I’m looking forward to the next pack, and volunteering with Dignity Grows in the future"
“Thanks to you and the members of the Jewish Peninsula Community Center for launching this worthwhile and much needed Dignity Grows initiative."
"I loved being an active participant in helping. I’m happy to donate money, but you feel like you can tangibly make a difference by unboxing supplies, working with other women and watching a huge pile of tote bags form."
That collective action is truly where the magic of Dignity Grows lies. This new initiative represents an opportunity for us to put Jewish values to action and make a collective, measurable impact on a critical issue affecting our neighbors right here in our own backyard.
We envision Dignity Grows as an initiative that brings Jewish Peninsula together - across generations, across programs and across our broader diverse community. Volunteerism is at the heart of this initiative. Whether you're joining us at a packing party to assemble totes, coordinating at a distribution site, or rallying your workplace to get involved, hands-on participation transforms this from a program into a movement. This is social action in action.
