Our Story
Collect the Cotton started out of a need that was recognized while Ashlie Morris was volunteering at the North Boulder Homeless Shelter in Boulder, Colorado in 2016. As an organization supported by donations, there was a frequent and reoccurring need for pads and tampons from the menstruator population utilizing the shelter and its resources.
From then on, Ashlie tapped her network of family and friends once a year to help raise money to purchase period products thus beginning Collect the Cotton. We continue to grow Collect the Cotton and help bring awareness to period poverty and the need for accessible period products within various communities.
What We Do
Collect the Cotton’s mission is to empower menstruators and supply period products. We strive to bring awareness to period poverty and donate to organizations supporting all menstruators in need.
Collect the Cotton donates period products to community organizations that provide barrier-free services to people and youth experiencing housing insecurities, hunger, and poverty, as well as programs focused on anti-trafficking, street outreach, re-housing, food pantries, domestic violence, and teen services. We also focus efforts on supporting public schools within our region with hopes of growing nationwide.
At the core of what we do, Collect the Cotton believes every menstruator deserves to be able to manage their period with dignity. Period products should be freely accessible in community shelters, public schools, and to menstruators in custody of the Department of Corrections.
Our Ethos
At Collect the Cotton, we lift voices and stand tall. We are more than an organization — we are a movement, centered on empowerment and care.
In a world where menstruation is often silenced, stigmatized, and shrouded in shame, we step forward, unapologetic. We champion the diversity that flows within us all and reject the notion that menstruating is a cause for embarrassment. We strive to turn shame into strength and silence into solidarity. With open hearts and unwavering support, we embrace all who menstruate.
Our purpose is clear — to provide period products to those who need them as access to essential care should never be a privilege, but a fundamental right. We lift those whose voices have been silenced, ensuring that no one is left behind.
We believe in the power of inclusivity, weaving together threads of empathy, compassion, and support. Every person, regardless of their gender identity, socioeconomic status, or background, deserves to feel seen, heard, and valued all while being able to manage their periods with dignity.
At Collect the Cotton, we challenge societal norms, re-write the narratives, and pave the way for a future where menstruation is embraced without hesitation. We stand in the belief that all menstruators deserve access to products needed to manage their period with dignity.