Stories on the plight of the homeless and marginalized can inspire feelings of sadness, empathy and solidarity.

For attorney Dawn-Marie Bey, an article she read on social media sparked her to create Period Patch in 2015, an organization that provides feminine hygiene products to the homeless and displaced “to get them through those monthly rough patches with dignity.”

“I shared the article on social media and just put out an open question to my network, ‘If I coordinate efforts to meet this need in our community, will you help?’” Ms. Bey says. “Once people commented that they would, I was off and running.”

The Washington, D.C., native operates Period Patch with no paid or volunteer staff and no government support. Instead, hundreds of donors have generously sustained the nonprofit during the last five years, providing the products or the money to purchase the products.

Ms. Bey handles the deliveries herself from her SUV, balancing her volunteer efforts with her work at the law firm she founded. She also sends supplies to Her Padded Truth, a sister organization in Hampton Roads.

An estimated $4,000 to $5,000 worth of feminine hygiene products are taken quarterly to food pantries, church groups, Richmond Public Schools, area health and housing organizations and the city jail, among others.

She says she knows Period Patch is making a difference when she sees empty shelves at the partner organizations when she makes the deliveries. She also receives feedback in the form of notes and emails from partner organizations that “relay to me the looks of relief on the faces of individuals when they see that these products are available. I am just so glad that we can relieve this worry,” she says.

Ms. Bey also offers this email received from the director of the Welborne United Methodist Church food pantry:

“Let me tell you about the young lady who is living in her car and came by to see if we had food she could eat easily without cooking or refrigeration. (And to complicate things, she has diabetes). She was being very careful in her choices, not wanting to take anything extra or something she couldn’t use. She came around the corner and saw the feminine products and THAT bit of kindness stopped her cold and her eyes filled with tears. This is how much the Period Patch means to our guests. Thank you for what you do! I know it’s a lot of work but it is so appreciated!”

The need for menstrual products hasn’t slowed down in the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, Ms. Bey says.

In the coming years, Ms. Bey wants to incorporate more volunteers into Period Patch’s sorting and delivery process. She’s also interested in pursuing grants to help the organization’s mission.

A final goal, distributing reusable menstrual products such as period panties and menstrual cups, is hampered by both a “tremendous knowledge gap” and cultural assumptions surrounding women’s health that still need to be overcome.

“There is still a stigma associated with periods,” Ms. Bey says. “This is changing — slowly — across the world. But this remains a topic that many do not wish to think about. This has got to change.”

Meet an advocate for women’s health needs and this week’s Personality, Dawn-Marie Bey:

Occupation: Attorney with Bey & Cotropia PLLC. I am the founding member and majority owner.

What I do: I assist my clients with protecting and/or defending their intellectual property rights. A majority of my work involves seeking patent protection for inventions.

No. 1 community involvement: Founder of the nonprofit Period Patch.

Mission: We are a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to helping provide homeless, struggling and displaced menstruating humans with the products they need to get them through those monthly rough patches with dignity.

Date and place of birth: March 30 in Washington, D.C.

Current residence: Henrico County.

Education: Bachelor’s in physics, Franklin & Marshall College; J.D., George Mason School of Law.

Family: Partner, Chris, and two children, Clara and Oakley.

When and why Period Patch was founded: An article about homelessness and periods was circulating on social media in late 2014. This article really hit a nerve with me and it prompted me to take action. The article definitely prompted me to think about what I might be able to do. I then shared the article on social media and just put out an open question to my network, “If I coordinate efforts to meet this need in our community, will you help?” Once people commented that they would, I was off and running.

People who play a big role with me and specific roles they play: The donors! The Period Patch couldn’t operate without the many donors who have contributed both individually and collectively, e.g., through private donation drives, over the last five years. I am particularly grateful to the donors who donate on a monthly/quarterly basis either through automatic PayPal donations, via monthly shipments by mail, or just via consistent collections through- out the year. Some individuals have been doing this since we started five years ago. I also need to give a huge shout-out to my partner, Chris Cotropia, who set up the 501(c)(3), has made numerous delivery runs over the years and has even used his academic/legal research and writing skills to perform surveys and publish papers to highlight the need in our communities, schools, etc.

Latest mission achievement: We have never said “no” to any organization that needs our help. In fact, we were contacted last week, in the midst of this pandemic, by an organization that needed supplies and we are able to accommodate. Periods don’t stop for pandemics.

How I handle distribution: I deliver quarterly over a three- to five-day timeframe using my SUV. We also send some supplies directly to a sister organization in the Hampton Roads area — Her Padded Truth.

Amount of items distributed monthly, quarterly, yearly: I have never tracked this information with any specificity. I would estimate we distribute from $4,000 to $5,000 worth of products per quarter.

How one can volunteer: The best way to volunteer is to coordinate a donation drive through an organization you are part of or in your community or neighborhood (e.g., book club, church, gym, school, work, sorority, etc.)

Donation drop-off location or sites: 213 Bayly Court, Richmond, Va. 23229.

Level of need: There’s a steady need, and as the word spreads, the need increases.

What it would take to meet the need in terms of money: Currently, approximately $20,000 per year.

Involvement of other nonprofits and churches: These organizations are directly involved as they distribute products directly to those in need: St. Joseph’s Villa; Goochland Cares; Safe Harbor; St. Thomas Episcopal Church Food Pantry; Welborne United Methodist Church Food Pantry; Richmond Public Schools; Virginia Supportive Housing; Crossover Healthcare Ministry; Celebration Church; Gray Haven; OAR of Richmond; Richmond Health Department; Henrico Health Department; Richmond City Justice Center via Restoration Fellowship; CARITAS; and Her Padded Truth.

If I had my way, this problem would be solved by: This is a tough question. Obviously providing these items for free to anyone who needs them is the best way to solve this problem. But requiring items in all bathrooms is a start. This includes schools, employers, government buildings, all bathrooms—public and private.

Number of people helped: It takes so many people, from donors to distributors and their volunteers, to make these products accessible to those in need. It would be impossible to count.

Why this situation goes unconsidered: There is still a stigma associated with periods. This is changing—slowly— across the world. But this remains a topic that many do not wish to think about. This has got to change.

Impact of organization: I believe our partner organizations would say that the impact is high. I am fortunate to receive comments of gratitude directly when I make deliveries.

Goal for next five years: To incorporate more volunteers into the sorting and delivery aspects of Period Patch. Many people want to help, but, honestly, I run a law firm and a nonprofit, and I can only handle so much administration. But this is definitely a major goal. I would also like to apply for grants to help meet our needs. Finally, I would like to start offering reusable period supplies, like menstrual cups and period panties. But there is a tremendous knowledge gap that we will need to bridge and there are cultural norms that may not allow for the use of menstrual cups or tampons.

Impact of new law requiring schools to provide products to female students without charge: My partner and I were active in helping to get this legislation through. It is a tremendous step in the right direction and I applaud the delegates and senators who kept at it over the last few years and the individuals and organizations who supported this legislation year after year. Even if the law states that schools are required to provide products, unless funds are also part of the deal, many schools will be unable to meet the requirement. Like the law requiring prisons and jails to provide products to inmates that was enacted last year, I suspect that many institutions will be unable or unwilling to provide them. So organizations like the Period Patch will likely continue to help meet this need.

This topic is hard for many to talk about because: This has always been viewed as a girl’s problem. And girls are supposed to handle this problem discreetly. Just like so many things associated with the female body, childbirth, breast feeding, hair, etc., individuals with these parts are supposed to keep them hidden away. But this is definitely changing. My 12 and 14-year-old children who both have female bodies are a lot more open about periods, so we are moving in the right direction.

My view on ending the taboo: It is about time!

How I start the day: With coffee. And then I usually have a handful of items lined up in my head to tackle. So I would say my outlook is often “determined.”

A perfect day for me is: Finish- ing something. We all have so much on our “to-do” list, and I have a good day when I finish something on this list.

At the top of my “to-do” list is: Raise my children to be independent, involved citizens of the world.

How I unwind: I am definitely in the watch-a-show camp!

Best late-night snack: I’m not a late-night snacker, but chocolate, if I must.

A quote that I am inspired by: “Believe that what you do matters and will make a difference in people’s lives. You don’t have to save the world in one stroke but you can make a difference one person at a time.”—Anonymous

Book that influenced me the most: “Shouting at the Sky” by Gary Ferguson.

What I’m reading now: I am about to start reading “Infinite Jest” by David Foster Wallace.

If I’ve learned one thing in life, it is: Do not say, “I will never _,” because you totally will.

Next goal: Survive parenting two teens.