Since Blue Margin Community Works’ inception in 2016, we’ve enjoyed finding ways to contribute to the local community.
Over the past 4+ years, Blue Margin employees have regularly spent time at the Food Bank of Larimer County to assist with distributing food during the Fort Collins Fresh Food Share. It was through our frequent visits to the Food Bank that we came across Vanelle Peterson and her work.
For months, she had been dedicating her personal time and space in her basement to repackage feminine products to distribute through the Food Bank’s Period Project. Recognizing the importance of her mission and the time demands of the project, we became the first corporate group in 2022 to join Vanelle’s efforts. Our team’s eagerness to help (and competitiveness to always increase our packing totals) not only accelerated the repackaging process but also allowed Vanelle to reclaim her personal time.
During a recent interview with the Food Bank, Blue Margin Community Works Coordinator, Amanda Mann, shared her insights on our involvement with the feminine repacks.
“Several people were like ‘we had no idea that there was period poverty out there.’” Mann said. “These products are expensive. It was something we could relate to and step in and help with.” Amanda further emphasized the fulfillment our team feels from these efforts. “It gives us a chance to do something important besides the job,” she said. “People are incredibly willing to step in. I see a really positive outcome when people help.”
Apart from assisting with the Period Project and Fresh Food Share, Blue Margin has also expanded our volunteering efforts to include wrapping diapers for the Nappie Project. (You can read more about that here)
Learn more about how to help with the Food Bank of Larimer County and its many associated projects here: https://foodbanklarimer.org/