Dayton Teen’s Birthday Initiative Highlights the Power of Youth-Led Community Service
By Mimi Moore, Community Commentary
What began as a birthday initiative to help students access essential hygiene products has grown into a community effort involving tens of thousands of donated items.
Autumn May, a 13-year-old Dayton-area student, helped organize a donation drive aimed at addressing menstrual product insecurity among young girls.
According to an October 22, 2026, report by WHIO-TV, Autumn initially set a goal of collecting 5,000 menstrual products. By the time of her birthday, approximately 41,000 products had been collected, with additional donations still being counted.
The initiative received support from her mother, Shakia Ware, and the Ohio Coalition for Menstrual Equity.
Autumn’s efforts bring attention to period poverty, a term used to describe inadequate access to menstrual products, education and related resources.
For students, limited access to these products can create challenges involving personal hygiene, comfort and participation in school activities.
Ohio requires schools serving girls in grades six through twelve to provide free menstrual products. Community donation efforts can supplement those resources and help address needs outside the classroom.
Beyond the number of products collected, Autumn’s initiative provides an example of how young people can participate in addressing community concerns.
Youth-led service projects can encourage civic engagement, introduce students to leadership responsibilities and create opportunities for collaboration among families, schools and nonprofit organizations.
The success of Autumn’s donation drive also raises broader questions about how communities can sustain similar initiatives and encourage other young people to participate in service.
As additional donations are counted, the project illustrates how an individual effort can develop into a larger community response.
Autumn’s initiative demonstrates that age does not have to be a barrier to identifying a need and taking action.
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