Founder Honored with Athena Women’s Chamber of Commerce Award
Served More than 40 Agencies and 21,000 Clients in the Community in 2021
Project Marilyn is the proud recipient 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. Project Marilyn provides period supplies to those in need with monthly bags containing tampons, pads and hygiene wipes to last through their menstrual cycle.
“Personally, I couldn’t be more overwhelmed and am truly at a loss for words with regards to receiving this honor for “Best Nonprofit.” Thank you to the Las Vegas Review Journal and to everyone who consistently voted for us. This recognition is so deserving for all of our volunteers, donors and supporters; known as our “Period Posse.” Their dedication, love and support for the mission of Project Marilyn, to end period poverty in Southern Nevada, continues to shine. The awareness of our organization with this award acknowledgement puts us one step closer to breaking the taboo surrounding the subject of menstruation and period poverty,” says Wendi Schweigart, Founder of Project Marilyn, who named the nonprofit after her mother.
In 2021, Project Marilyn helped more than 21,000 clients and 40 agencies and organizations to have a healthy and dignified period. Celebrating three years this coming April, the philanthropic organization continues to support several community organizations with feminine hygiene products such as LVMPD, Foundation for Recovery, The Just One Project, Shine a Light, Refuge for Women, Baby’s Bounty, Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth, and Westcare. In 2021 they have distributed almost 15,000 bags, a kit intended to have enough supplies for an entire menstrual cycle filled with tampons, pads, panty liners and hygiene wipes. Including bulk items given, this breaks down to 316,000 pads, 88,653 panty liners, 77,000 hygiene wipes, and 44,000 tampons.
“2 in 5 people cannot afford period supplies in a given year. Feminine hygiene products 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.”
They recently received many charitable donations, some of those include donations from CREW Las Vegas, The Juice Standard, IREM 99 Las Vegas, Mike Chernine, Taylor Derrick Capital, CCIM Southern Nevada, and was also named one of the charitable recipients for Mondays Dark in 2022.
Continually being recognized by giving back to the community, 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.
