This holiday season, there are many opportunities in Logan Square to give to charity. Dec. 17 is the eve of the Crampus Holiday Market, held at Emporium (2363 N. Milwaukee Avenue).
Crampus Holiday Market is an annual event that benefits Chicago Period Project (CPP). Founded in 2016 by Ashley Novea, CPP is a Chicago-based nonprofit organization that provides menstrual products and educational resources to the 29 percent of menstruating Chicagoans living at or below the poverty level.
CPP also hosts many other events centered around menstruation and female empowerment, like ‘Galentine’s Day‘, a celebration for female friendship, and ‘Bad Babes of [blnk]: 2nd Annual Wommin’s Show‘, an all-female art exhibit at Blnk Haus, (3206 W. Armitage Avenue).
“It is important for us to open up conversations about menstruation because the stigma surrounding periods is what causes the huge need for menstrual products in the homeless community,” said Novea.” Through our work, we hope to empower all people to experience their periods with dignity.”
Thus far, Chicago Period Project has donated over 400,000 menstrual products to Chicagoans.
“Within its first year, the Chicago Period Project (CPP) distributed 5500 pads, 10,000 tampons, and 200 “period kits” (comprised of 20 tampons or pads, underwear, a water bottle, hand sanitizer or gels and wipes, and a piece of chocolate) to people both in and outside of the city,” according to an interview with Novea in Bon Appetit.
The name Crampus, coined by the event organizer and CPP member Mickey Alice Kwapis, is a play off the Krampus, the mythical monster that Germans threatened their children with if they didn’t behave at Christmastime.
“Naming it Crampus seemed like the perfect opportunity to mix my love of bad puns, good artists, and a great cause,” Novea said. “We collected over 28,000 pads and tampons last year, and this year’s goal is 30,000.”
The CPP takes donations in the way of toiletries, like tampons, menstrual pads, pantyliners– or good old fashioned money via Paypal. Admission on December 18th is free with a donation of pads, tampons, or other products for Chicago Period Project.
For those who want to make a continuous contribution, you can also join the Cycle: a monthly subscription program to help CPP provide menstrual products to those in need.
There are at least 25 attending vendors to choose from: Jini & Tonic, SKG Leather, GoldstruckGoods and The Little Bookery. So there’s education, fun and merch to be had.
Learn more about the Chicago Period Project and their efforts, then please support them and the local vendors at the Crampus Holiday Market. Don’t make us send that other Krampus after you!
Featured photo: Kris Donaker
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