Project Marilyn is the proud recipient, for the second year in a row, of the Bronze Award as the winner for “Best Nonprofit” in the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s annual “Best of Las Vegas” reader’s poll. Winners of this competition are both nominated and voted on by local residents, making this honor all the more meaningful to the charity whose mission is to help end period poverty in southern Nevada.
Established in 2019, by founder Wendi Schweigart, the mission of Project Marilyn is to ensure everyone has a healthy and dignified period. Project Marilyn provides period supplies to those in need with monthly bags containing tampons, pads and hygiene wipes intended to last through their menstrual cycle. Period supplies are often overlooked and the least donated supplies, so Project Marilyn’s goal is to fill that void. The nonprofit’s organization is named after and dedicated to Wendi’s mom, Marilyn, with its tribute logo as her image and the signature Wendi saved from her driver’s license.
“Thank you to the Las Vegas Review Journal “Best of Las Vegas” and the community for voting for us again this year. It is such an honor and myself and our Period Posse’s are grateful for the added awareness of this award to help in our mission to ensure everyone has the supplies needed to have a healthy and dignified period, says Schweigart. “The demand is continuing to exponentially grow. This is why we offer a convenient pink “Maxi Taxi” and have also expanded our “Finding Marilyn” initiative and are pleased with partners such as The Center, The Foundation for Recovery, Olive Crest and the Rainbow Branch of the Clark County Library, offering free products to anyone in need. Downtown Summerlin and UnCommons have also started offering free period supplies in their restrooms.”
Year to date, in 2022, Project Marilyn has helped more than 1 million period products to members of the Southern Nevada Community. They continue to support local organizations such as LVMPD, Foundation for Recovery, Shine a Light, Communities in Schools, Boys and Girls Club, The Center and Olive Crest. As of this year, they have distributed more than 19,000 bags, a kit intended to have enough supplies to last someone’s entire cycle. The bags are filled with pads, tampons, panty liners and hygiene wipes.
“2 in 5 people cannot afford period supplies in a given year. Period supplies are the least donated supplies with community giving. For as little as $10.00 per month, anyone can give a person dignity with their period. PERIOD,” emphasizes Schweigart. “We are grateful to the community for their continued support; so we too, can help others. We also partner several times a month with charities, The Just One Project “Pop Up and Give Mobile Markets” and Baby’s Bounty food and diaper distributions.
Additional partners who have supported and volunteered at Project Marilyn include Draft Kings, Lexicon Bank, IREM 99 Las Vegas, ACOG AFD, Three Square, Desert Newcomers, CCIM of Southern Nevada and Clark County Medical Society Alliance. Ongoing product support also includes: Alliance For Period Supplies, Health Plan of Nevada, Anthem Medicaid, Period. Inc., Goodwipes and Always.
Continually being recognized by giving back to the community, the volunteer group, known as the “Period Posse” was granted the Shining Star Award from the Army National Guard. Founder, Wendi Schweigart, was also recently awarded with the 18th Annual 2021 ATHENA® International Women’s Young Leadership Award presented by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce of Nevada and chosen as one of the 12 charitable recipients in Monday’s Dark.
