Tri-Valley & Bay Area, California
Hera Health Initiative provides menstrual products to women in need and delivers culturally aware health education, so background is never a barrier to understanding your body or accessing what you need.
3 core programs
Products · Workshops · Dialogues
Our mission
Our mission is two-fold: to provide essential menstrual support and products to women in need, and to deliver culturally aware, sensitive health education tailored to women of diverse backgrounds.
Menstrual health and sexual wellness are often stigmatized. We break down those barriers by respecting cultural nuances while providing vital health information, and by working alongside the communities we serve.
Read our storyHow we're different
Period poverty hides in suburbs too, and health education rarely accounts for faith and culture. Hera was created to address both.
Education designed with Muslim, Jewish, and other faith-based and cultural communities, respecting modesty and tradition.
We work through established local 501(c)(3)s, so products and programs reach people fast with minimal overhead.
Founded and run by students in the Tri-Valley who believe no one should choose between dignity and survival.
What we do
Everything we do is designed to give women dignity, knowledge, and support.
Pads, tampons, and reusable products delivered to women in need through trusted partner organizations across the Tri-Valley.
Learn moreSafe, moderated sessions on reproductive health, anatomy, and hygiene, designed to respect the modesty and religious guidelines of each community.
Learn moreQ&A sessions with medical professionals and community and faith leaders that bring taboo subjects into a supportive, respectful space.
Learn moreWhy it matters
It affects students, working families, and displaced people right here in the Tri-Valley. The numbers tell part of the story.
500M+
people worldwide lack access to menstrual products and adequate facilities.
Source: World Bank, 2022
1 in 4
U.S. students has struggled to afford period products.
Source: State of the Period, 2021
2 in 3
low-income women in a U.S. study couldn't afford products at some point in the past year.
Source: Obstetrics & Gynecology, 2019
How we work
Rather than building new infrastructure, we team up with local 501(c)(3) organizations that already serve the women we want to reach.
We fundraise and collect products from donors, drives, and sponsors.
Trusted local organizations host our programs and distribute products through their networks.
Women-led workshops and dialogues are adapted to each community's values.
We track every dollar and product so donors see exactly where their support went.
Upcoming events
Product drives, workshops, and community dialogues across the Tri-Valley.
Help us stock our partner shelters for the winter. Bring unopened pads, tampons, liners, and reusable products. Every donation goes directly to women in the Tri-Valley.
A moderated Q&A with a women's health professional and community leaders on menstrual health, modesty, and faith. Open to women and girls of all backgrounds. Questions can be submitted anonymously.
Our first small-group workshop on anatomy, cycle health, and hygiene, designed to respect the modesty and religious guidelines of participants. Hosted with a local partner organization.
Make a difference today
Your gift buys menstrual products in bulk and funds workshops that meet women where they are. Because we work through partner organizations, almost every dollar goes directly to products and programs.
