The Penny Pack donates to Shrewsbury girls
Shrewsbury – This summer, Shrewsbury Youth & Family Services (SYFS) is once again running its popular “You Go, Girl!” program, which is designed to help teach middle school students ways to build their self-confidence, manage emotions and communicate better with others. Certainly one of the most emotional and physical things a girl that age must deal with is the onset of their menstrual period. Now, thanks to a generous donation from a Hopkinton-based group, The Penny Pack, the girls will have easy to understand information and resources to help them navigate this monthly occurrence with more confidence and comfort.
On July 10, The Penny Pack made a donation in support of the “You Go, Girl!” program’s “Healthy Mind, Healthy Body” weekly theme, providing period packs for all the girls attending the program.
The Penny Pack’s practical approach to period talk includes these key elements to help start the discussion:
* Girl’s Guide: written by a preteen and edited by a pediatrician, this candid guide covers everything period-related: the definition of what a period is, clues about associated body changes, practical advice about topics most girls experience such as cramps, and hands-on tips for shopping and using pads/tampons.
* Readiness Kit: a small, lightweight clutch that is fully stocked with 100 percent organic cotton tampons and pads.
* There’s Something New About You, a book that enlightens and educates girls with honest information, useful advice and tips from award-winning doctors Melisa Holmes, MD and Trish Hutchison, MD, aka The Girlologists.
* Penny Pack App, access to the mobile app for ongoing period-related information for continuous education.
“We were thrilled to receive such a wonderful donation for our girls in the ‘You Go, Girl!’ program. The timing couldn’t have been better and we loved seeing the girls faces light up as The Penny Pack founder, Amy Thomas, shared these gifts with our campers,” said Jen Rifkin, director of clinical services at SYFS. “The Penny Pack is a perfect complement to what we are teaching our girls in this program – to be confident and ready for anything that comes their way!”
According to its website, The Penny Pack was started when several Hopkinton couples wanted to help their daughters through the transition into puberty, especially when they got their periods. The dads, in particular, according to the website, wanted to be there as a resource for their daughters as well, and not just leave things up to their wives. The result was the development of The Penny Pack. For more information visit www.thepennypack.com or contact Erin Keefe, 617-512-9498 or [email protected].