DALLAS, July 14, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U by Kotex brand and DoSomething.org kick off Power to the Period, the first-ever, national period products donation drive and second installment of the U by Kotex Period Projects – a groundbreaking series of projects, each inspired by a woman who shares the brand's passion for creating real change. Power to the Period aims to provide period products for many of the 3.5 million Americans who experience homelessness each year by encouraging people to collect and donate extra packages of period products to homeless shelters between July 14 - September 30. This latest signature project follows the first of the U by Kotex Period Projects, The Period Shop – a New York City-based pop-up shop and abbreviated online experience dedicated to all things period.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7868751-u-by-kotex-dosomething-power-to-the-period/

"Many people who experience homelessness have limited to no access to period products. It's time to change that," said Holly Sanchez, Chicago-based law student and Power to the Period Project Captain. "I posted a tweet encouraging people to buy and donate an extra pack of period products to benefit people in homeless shelters. U by Kotex responded with the opportunity to create the first-ever, national period product drive with DoSomething.org, so I jumped at the opportunity to be involved in this rewarding project!"

"Period products are some of the most needed items in homeless shelters, yet shelters across the country report a consistent shortage of these products," said Maahika Srinivasan, Campaign Lead at DoSomething.org. "We're excited to activate our members to make an impact on the first, national drive for period products."

In fact, a new online study conducted in June by Harris Poll on behalf of Kimberly-Clark's U by Kotex brand found that nearly nine in 10 Americans (89 percent) say that having access to period products is a problem for people experiencing homelessness, but only 6 percent have actually donated period products to homeless shelters.

People who sign up for the campaign at DoSomething.org/Period and upload a photo of the period products they donate will be eligible to win a $5,000 scholarship. Eligible participants will receive one entry for the scholarship for every ten period products items donated. When signing up to participate, people can also opt-in to one of 20 competitions throughout the donation drive period. The U by Kotex brand will donate product to a shelter designated by the top five winners of each competition.

"Holly and the DoSomething.org team bring an unparalleled passion and commitment to the cause, and both are tremendous partners in working to bring the donation drive to life," said Lauren Kren, U by Kotex brand manager, Kimberly-Clark, "Power to the Period is proof that together we can change the way we think about, talk about and support the period needs of people experiencing homelessness in our communities."

Power to the Period is supported by digital partnerships; robust owned social and web support; and digital and print advertisements. Additionally, lifestyle expert and online video personality Ingrid Nilsen, who is passionate about increasing access to period products for people experiencing homelessness, starred in a Power to the Period PSA to help inspire others to join the movement and to showcase her support for the Power to the Period donation drive.

People across the country are invited to start a Power to the Period donation drive or donate new boxes of period products to a shelter in their area. Text PERIOD to 38383 or visit or DoSomething.org/Period for more information. Also, visit www.UbyKotex.com to learn more about the Power to the Period donation drive, The Period Projects and request a U by Kotex product sample. Join the online conversation with #PeriodProjects.

About the U by Kotex Brand
Kimberly-Clark created the feminine care category with the launch of the Kotex brand almost 100 years ago. Today, U by Kotex, a full line of feminine care pads, pantiliners and tampons, continues to push category boundaries. By providing outstanding protection and unique design, the brand brings women a better feminine care experience overall.

About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, nearly a quarter of the world's population trust Kimberly-Clark's brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, U by Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in 80 countries. To keep up with the latest news and to learn more about the company's 144-year history of innovation, visit www.Kimberly-Clark.com or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

About DoSomething.org
One of the largest global organizations for young people and social change, DoSomething.org has 5.3 million members in 131 countries who tackle volunteer campaigns that impact every cause. Poverty. Discrimination. The environment. And everything else. Its promise: Any cause, anytime, anywhere.

Survey Methodology 
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Poll on behalf of U by Kotex from June 23-27, 2016 among 2,022 adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete research method, including weighting variables, please contact Raina Bahu at [email protected].

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SOURCE Kimberly-Clark