Swipe Out Hunger and TOP The Organic Project Partner to Support College Students

April 7, 2022 – Today, the leading national nonprofit working to end college student hunger, Swipe Out Hunger and organic period product company, TOP the organic project, announced its partnership to support college students.

One in three college students faces food insecurity across the U.S. Those who experience food insecurity are often faced with choosing between basic hygiene needs like period products and food, evident in the one in 10 college students struggling to afford period products, according to a recent study in BMC Women’s Health journal.

Within Swipe Out Hunger’s network, 87% of its campus partners already provide basic hygiene items to their students. Fifty-three percent of our campus pantries within Swipe Out Hunger’s network currently pay full price at grocery stores for their food and supplies, meaning they pay top-dollar retail prices to stock these basic but necessary items.

This intersection of food and period product insecurity has led Swipe Out Hunger and TOP to work together to raise awareness so colleges can increase access to these basic necessities for their students. Through their partnership, TOP has committed to offer discounted bulk tampon and pad products to Swipe Out Hunger’s network. 

“TOP is inspired by universities across the country that are working to address period product insecurity and creating health promoting and equitable campuses for their students,” said Denielle Finkelstein, Co-founder and President of TOP the organic project. “We’re honored to partner with Swipe Out Hunger to ensure access to period products is never a barrier to students’ education and well-being.”

In addition, Swipe Out Hunger and TOP will provide guidance to campus pantries on how to support their students facing food and period product insecurity. Campus pantries will be able to receive a “Period Positive” designation, meaning it meets vital benchmarks that increase their students’ access to period products. Swipe Out Hunger will also host educational opportunities and resources for the Swipe Out Hunger network, including an upcoming webinar on Tuesday, April 19 that will highlight the greater issue and review how campuses can become “Period Positive.” In addition, TOP will provide ongoing technical assistance to campus pantries looking to start or expand their period product distribution efforts.

“It’s inspiring to see how many of our campus pantries have already been supporting their students with periods,” said Rachel Sumekh, Founder and CEO of Swipe Out Hunger. “Working with TOP means that not only will we be able to provide much-needed products to our campuses, but to also bring attention to the impacts of period poverty and the amazing work campuses are doing in response. 

Campuses interested in learning more should join their co-hosted webinar on Tuesday, April 19 at 12pm PT/3pm ET here. 

About Swipe Out Hunger

Swipe Out Hunger is a national nonprofit committed to ending college student hunger. It works with colleges and universities to design and implement a range of anti-hunger programs, including “The Swipe Drive” which enables students to donate meals to their peers facing food insecurity on campus. Swipe Out Hunger promotes on-campus solutions, policy and advocacy, and student empowerment practices to address college food insecurity. Recognized for its entrepreneurial nature, Swipe Out Hunger has been named an Obama White House Champion For Change and its founder, Rachel Sumekh, has landed a spot on the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list. From its beginnings as a grassroots movement at UCLA in 2010, Swipe Out Hunger has since served 2.5 million nourishing meals across all 50 states and more than 400 campuses. For more information, visit swipehunger.org. 

About TOP 

TOP the organic project is a women-owned, social impact brand bringing organic, plant-based, and sustainability to period care. Founded by two moms who ditched their corporate executive roles to build a purpose driven brand that was inspired by their daughters. Their mission is to educate, enlighten, and be their authentic selves so that every person on the planet has access to healthy, organic cotton, eco-loving tampons and pads. And every step of the way, they’ll inspire stigma-shattering conversations about periods. For more information, visit toporganicproject.com.

Media Contact:

Tenille Metti Bowling
Vice President of Communications
Swipe Out Hunger
[email protected]
248.345.4090