Kathy Meyer’s efforts to combat period poverty have been highlighted by Mars.
A woman from Flower Mound has a big part celebrating in International Women's Day celebrations from candy maker Mars.
Back in January, Mars debuted limited-edition packs of M&Ms featuring female characters. The new packs depicting the green, brown and purple M&Ms were part of the company's flipping the status quo campaign. It celebrates women who are transforming the world around them and reshaping success.
As part of the campaign, the company also launched a national contest to find women doing just that in their communities. People could nominate a woman they believe flips the status quo and explain why she should be featured on M&M's platforms and receive $10,000 to further fund their missions.
Kathy Meyer of Flower Mound is one of 20 winners announced today. Meyer co-founded a nonprofit called She Supply with the sole mission of getting feminine products and undergarments to women in need.
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Friends joined the effort along with Meyer's late husband and their two daughters. Six years later, She Supply donated more than a million products to North Texas women.
Meyer believes the funding and exposure will boost the efforts of the grassroots, all-volunteer nonprofit.
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"The national awareness I think will be just helpful to get people's attention on what the problem really is. There are women; one in four teenagers struggle to buy products and stay at home. They miss a day or two of school. Women? It's one in four women can't afford to buy products. You've got, you've got all kinds of just economic issues going on. I think it'll just bring a spotlight to those, to those areas that need a little more attention," Meyer said.
Meyer doesn't particularly like being in the spotlight but stepped up to flip the status quo on period poverty.
Taking action is the lesson she hopes to pass on to others.
"I don't have a C-level title but I saw a need and I went out and did something about it and I think, you know, your friends will rally with you. So, I guess really to inspire women that if you see a cause and it needs, needs some help then to just not be afraid," Meyer said.
Meyer and the other 19 winners will be featured on M&M's social, digital and in-store in several locations throughout the country during Women's History Month.
