COMMUNITY PROFILE Continued from page 7 “When you think about how easy it is on a medical level and then formaldehyde [a harmful, potentially cancer-causing chemical which is found in many menstrual products] goes into or on a menstruator’s body, you think about what does that do long term?” said Cushman Neal. Cushman Neal said that by providing the community with hygiene products that are free of harmful chemicals and environmentally responsible, they’re avoiding boomeranging these women back into a system where they will need medical help in the long term due to these harmful chemicals entering their bodies. For someone with a motto of “dream it, plan it, do it,” connecting with nearly 1,000 pantries and organizations in Colorado that provide personal hygiene products to menstruators in the Colorado community is just the starting point of Cushman Neal’s work. Justice Necessary will soon launch “Find Your Pantry,” a program to help community members find their nearest pantry for food, period products, hygiene products, and more. “By doing this, it allows us to tell people in Colorado where to go so that you don’t have somebody traveling across town with their children to find out they can’t get diapers, they can’t get period products,” said Cushman Neal. “There’s so many people that are so generous that can work on a community level to support each other.” At the heart of Cushman Neal’s work at Justice Necessary CREDIT: GILES CLASEN Justice Necessary forges connections and educates policymakers about this hidden crisis to build a community where everyone has access to hygiene basics. Thus far, Justice Necessary has donated at least 3.1 million organic period products, 82,216 and counting eco-friendly diapers and wipes, and 190,348 other basic hygiene essentials. The organization also played a key role in advocating for policy change. The collaboration with the HB22-1055 Stakeholder Group to raise awareness about period poverty and diaper needs ultimately led to the removal of the Colorado state sales tax on essential products such as period products, diapers, and incontinence products. Justice Necessary was also successful in securing an official proclamation from the State of Colorado and Governor Polis for Diaper Need Awareness Week in September 2023. Currently, Justice Necessary is running legislation in the 2024 legislative session to ensure access to period products for middle and high school students in Colorado. Affordability, access, and awareness are the three driving factors of the period poverty crisis. According to Cushman Neal, Coloradans who live 20 to 50 miles away from stores that are already on the smaller side may be forced to buy personal hygiene products at a higher price. Beyond the issue of access to period products and their affordability, Justice Necessary is also committed to people with serious illnesses. Speaking from her experience, Cushman Neal said that individuals with cystic fibrosis are recommended to consume 4,000 calories a day. “When you think about a family raising a kid with cystic fibrosis needing to buy 4,000 calories of food per day, that’s another reason hygiene gets put on the back burner because you have to make that choice in the checkout line,” Cushman Neal said. “But the reality is, if you have a serious illness, hygiene can be the difference, I’m not being overdramatic but literally, it is life and death, because when you are immunosuppressed or struggling the difference of an infection is the difference of if you are going in the hospital or if you’re going to be able to continue to live a normal life.” Justice Necessary’s commitment to a cleaner environment has allowed the organization to address two pressing societal FACTSHEET COURTESY OF JUSTICE NECESSARY issues simultaneously: protecting the planet and providing feminine hygiene products that are free of harmful chemicals. Cushman Neal pointed out that a common misconception is people automatically assume eco-friendly products that are good for our bodies and the environment are expensive and are not within reach. Period products that contain formaldehyde and known carcinogens easily transit these chemicals into the bodies of menstruators. “Medically we’ve been able to create vaginal creams that allow medication to be delivered through that method as they go very easily into the bloodstream,” said Cushman Neal. is helping the next person in need, month after month, by increasing outreach to connect with further organizations and food pantries to ideally fulfill the needs of all 64 counties in Colorado. According to Cushman Neal, when someone calls to express how access to personal hygiene products has enabled them to resume their daily routines – like going to work, spending time with their families, or going to school – she knows Justice Necessary is making a difference. She also knows her work has just begun. “What’s hard for me, honestly, is I then worry that we’ve only done this amount, but I want to do more.” ■ To learn more about Justice Necessary, visit justicenecessary.org. 8 DENVER VOICE February 2024
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