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Carefree School Days.  Period.

Tamara Abney, Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2024

"The Period Hero"

Welcome to the official landing page dedicated to Carefree School Days. Period., the platform of our founder, Tamara Abney, who proudly holds the title of Mrs. Pennsylvania International 2024. With a deep commitment to ensuring that young people have access to the menstrual products, education, and resources they need to thrive, Tamara's platform aims to tackle a crucial issue that affects countless individuals around the world. Period poverty is a widespread and often overlooked problem that can have serious consequences for individuals' health, education, and overall well-being. As Mrs. International, Tamara believes she can leverage her platform to spread awareness, advocate for change, and mobilize support on a global scale.

 

Join us in the fight to create Carefree School Days for all – because every child deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their period.

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Goals

As Mrs. Pennsylvania International and aspiring Mrs. International, Tamara Abney's goals for the year are centered on three key pillars: Distribution, Advocacy, and Awareness. Through strategic distribution efforts, she aims to ensure widespread access to menstrual hygiene products, particularly in schools, shelters, and under resourced communities. Concurrently, Tamara is committed to providing comprehensive menstrual health education to individuals of all ages, empowering them with knowledge and resources to make informed choices about their health. Additionally, she plans to advocate for policy changes that promote menstrual equity and address the systemic barriers that perpetuate period poverty.

 

Throughout her journey, Tamara remains steadfast in upholding the values of the International Pageant system – Marriage, Family, and Service – as she strives to make a tangible difference in the lives of others.

The Work

1

Distribution

Distribution efforts focus on providing essential menstrual hygiene products to those in need through two key initiatives: "My First Period Kits" and The Period Party Challenge.

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My First Period Kits:

These kits are thoughtfully curated packages containing menstrual hygiene products, educational materials, and other essentials to help young individuals navigate their first periods with confidence and dignity.

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Period Party Challenge: Encourages community involvement through the Period Party Challenge, a social media campaign aimed at raising awareness and collecting donations for menstrual hygiene products. By hosting product drives and donating to local organizations, individuals can join the movement to combat period poverty and promote menstrual equity.

2

Advocacy

Recognized leader in the menstrual equity space, advocating for policy changes and initiatives to promote menstrual health and hygiene for all.

 

Trusted Source: 

Tamara serves as a trusted source of information for government officials on issues related to menstrual equity. She actively engages with policymakers at the local, state, and national levels to raise awareness about the importance of menstrual health and advocate for policy reforms that address period poverty.

 

Public Meetings and Policy:

SisterFriend, Inc. hosts public meetings and informational sessions to keep community members informed about new policies and initiatives related to menstrual equity. 

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Support for Legislative Proposals: 

A vocal supporter of legislative proposals aimed at advancing menstrual equity. She is currently supporting the historic $3 million proposal to include menstrual equity initiatives in the 2024 Pennsylvania Governor's Budget Proposal. 

3

Awareness

​Empowering individuals with knowledge and information about menstrual health through various educational initiatives.

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Empowered Period Series:

Join Tamara on Instagram and YouTube for her Empowered Period Series, where she shares informative and engaging content on topics related to menstrual health, hygiene, and empowerment. Through these platforms, Tamara aims to break the silence surrounding menstruation and provide valuable insights to individuals of all ages.

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Period Posse Book:

As the author of "Period Posse: Embracing Change and Empowering Others," Tamara Abney has harnessed the power of education to dismantle taboos surrounding menstruation. Through relatable characters, readers embark on a path of friendship, growth, and advocacy. Join The Period Posse as they navigate adolescence, break stigmas, and champion menstrual education.

Period Hero in Action

Recognized as the Pennsylvania Period Hero by Always and Walmart. They've acknowledged the crucial work Tamara's doing with SisterFriend, Inc. to address period poverty in the community and offered their support.

 

As part of their back-to-school campaign, Always and Walmart donated a total of 2.5 million pads to organizations like Tamara's across all 50 states in the U.S. SisterFriend, Inc. received 50,000 pads.

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She also partnered with them on a social media campaign to promote the "Always Dreaming Scholarship"which provided 50 students with funds to further their education.

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Tamara was also featured in the Always Period Hero Menstrual Hygiene Day Campaign in partnership with the International Health Organization WASH United.

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This Summer, Tamara will receive an additional donation from Always to support the "My First Period Kit" project.

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Press Coverage & Media Features


Mrs. Pennsylvania International Tamara Abney on her mission to make a difference for every woman, June 2024

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The Pageant Resource: Mrs. Pittsburgh International 2024, Tamara Abney, Feb 2024

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North Side woman advocates for more education and access to menstrual products, TribLive, Jan 14, 2024

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Dare to Care: Menstrual equity, The Pennsylvania Capital-Star, Nov 30, 2024

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What's Good In Ya Hood Interview Mrs. Pittsburgh International, Audacity, Nov 2024

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Empowering Women and Changing Lives: The Inspiring Journey of a Dedicated Wife, Mother, Menstrual Equity Advocate, and Mrs. Pittsburgh International 2024 in Pennsylvania, SitiGirlPhiladelphia, Nov 2024

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Where to get free tampons, pads, and other menstrual products in Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Paper, May 17, 2023

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SisterFriend founder looks to provide feminine products, education, TribLive, May 21, 2019

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Sparkt Bridges: Helping Women & Girls Maintain Their Dignity, Sparkt.com, May 13, 2019

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Pittsburgh Public Schools, SisterFriend partner to provide free pads and tampons for students, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 29, 2018

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#LetsMakeASEEN: SisterFriend, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 5, 2018

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Panel discusses women’s menstrual hygiene, PITT News, November 15, 2017

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Documentary at Pitt focuses on hygiene and menstruation for homeless women, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, November 13, 2017

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City Council OKs free tampons and pads at Pittsburgh parks, pools and rec center, The Incline, March 29, 2017

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SISTERFRIEND PROVIDES FEMININE CARE PRODUCTS TO HOMELESS WOMEN, AURN, December 22, 2016

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Proud to be from Pittsburgh: SisterFriend, WPXI, August 19, 2016

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Awesome Pittsburgh awards grants to local people with awesome ideas, KDKA, June 22, 2016

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IMPACT with Jonas Chaney: WPXI, June 14, 2016

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Nonprofits help homeless women in Pittsburgh, UPGRUV, May 16, 2016

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Pittsburgh nonprofits deliver dignity in brown paper bags to homeless women, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 16, 2016

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Awesome Pittsburgh Award #47: SisterFriend, December 20, 2015

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On the Spot and SisterFriend tackle a problem that no one talks about, NEXTpittsburgh, Nov. 14, 2015

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