Story by Daniella Tebib, Staff writer
A student organization that provides free feminine products for underprivileged women recently became a nonprofit.
Kristen Farley, senior from Murray, Kentucky, established Clutch in February of 2018. Farley said the goal of the nonprofit is to help middle- and high-school girls focus on their education rather than worry about having access to feminine hygiene products.
They are currently servicing nine schools, which is around 3,000 students in western Kentucky. Clutch has also partnered with the Gentry House to provide feminine products for homeless women.
Farley said she was initially inspired by her sister who made pouches for her daughters to carry their feminine products. As she was on the hunt for an internship, she decided to start her own to make a difference in her community.
Farley said she believes the organization has been a great outlet to help inform the people around her about the issues underprivileged girls and homeless women face.
Schuyler Vowell, senior from Mayfield, Kentucky, volunteers because he wants to do his part in informing the community. While he has never experienced this issue, people around him have.
“1 in 5 young women in the United States live in ‘period poverty,’ meaning they do not have enough money to purchase the most basic, necessary feminine hygiene products,” Vowell said. “With statistics like that, the question isn’t ‘Why do we need Clutch?’ but rather, ‘Why aren’t there more organizations like Clutch?’”
“It’s actually been a really great opportunity to educate a lot of men in my life and a lot of men in the public too,” Farley said. “They don’t realize that it’s a problem in the first place or how expensive it is. They don’t know that girls don’t always have access to them when they need to. It’s a really great way to inform the community.”
Other Murray State students have also expressed the importance of organizations like Clutch.
Allison Hine, junior from St. Louis, Missouri, also volunteers for Clutch because she believes it’s important to spread awareness about the issue, as many of us are fortunate enough to not worry about having access to feminine products.
“The cost of pads and tampons continues to rise, leaving many women, of all ages, lacking access,” Hine said. “For a struggling family, feminine hygiene products may not be their first priority when grocery shopping. By providing these products at an easy access for girls in schools, they are able to focus on their education and get back to class, rather than worrying about how they will handle their period. Clutch takes the stress and stigma away from having a period in order to let women of all ages not have to be concerned about how they’ll get the products they need.”
Farley wants to encourage students to get involved with their community even if it isn’t through Clutch.
“I know a lot of nonprofits ask for a lot of money, but I really want to make sure people understand that I’m not getting paid for this,” Farley said. “I’m just as broke as everybody else, but all of the money goes directly to product donation or towards supplies for our fundraising events, which raise money for product donations. Even if you don’t get involved with Clutch, really try to get involved with your community somehow. It’s so important just to help people, and this getting involved with Clutch is an easy way to do it.”
If students are interested in helping Clutch, they can sign up to volunteer or make donations on their website.
“Our website updates people on our volunteer opportunities and our donation needs,” Farley said. “We also have 4 donation locations in Murray: one on campus in Mason Hall, one at the Murray Art Guild, one at the Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau and one at the Vine Street Salon. At those locations, you can drop off pads, tampons and panty liners… We also have packing parties, which is where all of the volunteers get together and we fill the clutches to disperse to the schools.”