Montgomery County now offers free tampons and other menstrual products in all of its government facilities including public houses and parks, reports Beatrice Forman for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The policy was announced Monday and went into immediate effect. Jamilla Winder, chair of the County Board of Commissioners, led the project. “It was the right thing to do, and pretty easy to execute,” she said.

Winder set out to help women unable to afford menstrual products after speaking with Gov. Josh Shapiro, whose wife Lori wants to use her position as First Lady of PA to advocate for the issue.

Winder spoke with local organizations like Jenkintown’s Mitzvah Circle which distributed 836,000 menstrual products last year.

Local women’s groups praise Commissioner Winder and the new policy.

“Asking yourself whether you have enough money to buy tampons or pads when you’re already in a tumultuous situation is horrible,” said Beth Sturman, executive director of Laurel House, a domestic abuse agency. “I love that the county is doing this.”

Read more about Montgomery County’s new policy to provide free menstrual products at The Philadelphia Inquirer.

______