Judy Johnson showed volunteers how to attach buttons to the hygiene kit materials. (Luis de Leon)
Dozens of volunteers filled the Northeast United Methodist Church on a Saturday morning, transforming the space into an assembly line of sewing machines, colorful fabric and volunteers learning new skills.
The well-oiled machine was led by Judy Johnson along with members of the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club, who moved from station to station ensuring volunteers were comfortable with their assignments.
“You came here to help the women of the world, the girls of the world, stay in school and at work,” Johnson told volunteers.
The effort on February 28 was part of the annual Days for Girls Sew-A-Thon, which brings community members together to create hygiene kits for girls in developing countries.
The issue, known by organizations like the United Nations and the National Library of Medicine as “period poverty,” impacts millions of women and girls globally who cannot afford menstrual products or access water and sanitation facilities to manage their menstrual health and hygiene — resulting in them having to miss important things like work or school.
“We didn’t realize there was this problem,” Johnson shared, who has been helping organize sewing events since 2015.
Johnson said that back then, she was president-elect of Maple Grove Rotary. When attending an international rotary convention, she saw folks sewing the materials, sparking her interest. She first held an event in 2015 through Brooklyn Park Rotary, and since then has held monthly sewing events through various churches and other groups around the area.
In the 11 years since, Johnson estimates they’ve done around 8,000 kits. Saturday’s completed kits will be distributed by various volunteer organizations to girls in developing countries.
Left to right, Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club International Service Chair Chanda Olson and Projects Chair Bill Jackson presented a $2,000 donation check to Johnson at the Days for Girls Sew-A-Thon event on February 28. (Luis de Leon)
“It gives me joy. These are kind people who gave up their Saturday,” Johnson said.
The materials in the hygiene kit follow a layout produced by the Days for Girls nonprofit organization. The primary item in the kit is The Days for Girls Pad, a patented design backed by menstrual health research that includes a protective shield and absorbent liner. It’s also described as washable and reusable. The kit also comes with information on how to use and care for the products inside and a pouch to store it all in.
At Saturday’s event, the Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary Club presented Johnson with a $2,000 check as a donation to the Maple Grove Rotary Club.
Johnson also feels the events bring a sense of community.
“People don’t even know each other and it brings (the) community together to do something for somebody else,” she said.