In January 2015, after reading an article on the Huffington Post about homeless women and their struggle to obtain menstrual products, Carrie Zaccaria (Founder) couldn’t stop thinking about homeless women living on the streets or staying in shelters. She couldn't imagine what these women were forced to use in place of a pad or tampon.  Carrie could not imagine what it would be like to have to use pad she made from an old rag, fast food napkins or worse go without, soiling the only clothes she owned.  After sharing the article with a dear friend, Kathy Tammes (VP), the two contacted local shelters to learn menstrual products were the most needed yet the least donated items off of the “wish lists”. Unfortunately, shelters have very little room to budget for menstrual products for their clients.

 

Compelled to do something, the two brainstormed ways they could provide for women in their hometown of Elgin, IL. Two weeks later they hosted the first “Period Party”. Inviting family, friends & neighbors to bring packages of pads or tampons, share a cocktail and hear about the need for menstrual product donations in local shelters.  The generous donations from the first collection were shared on social media. Additional products started showing up on Carrie’s porch in the days and weeks that followed. From there, 

Go   With   the  Flow grew organically serving women in Elgin.  As time went on the grass roots organization took on more donations and was able to reach more women in more shelters throughout Kane County. Today, Go With the Flow is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization with a fully  functioning board of directors able to serve 1000’s of women in need throughout Kane County Illinois.