We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Teysha Wheeler-lemanski a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Teysha, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

I have always been bold, pushing boundaries, taking risks, and finding creative solutions to challenges. As a child battling autoimmune diseases, art and creativity became my refuge, a constant source of comfort and expression. That creative instinct has shaped my approach to life, fueling my passion for problem-solving in meaningful ways.

When I experienced period poverty, I was fortunate to have the skills and resources to sew my own cloth pads. But I knew many others weren’t as lucky. They could have lacked access to materials or the knowledge to create their own solutions. I wanted to change that. Reusable menstrual products didn’t just save me hundreds of dollars each year, they were comfortable, reliable, and even brought me joy with fabric prints that made me smile.

Starting a nonprofit to provide reusable menstrual products was a leap of faith. I had no experience running an organization, and the learning curve was steep. But I had passion, drive, and an unshakable belief that if I could make a difference, the challenges would be worth it. Now, six years later, our nonprofit has distributed hundreds of thousands of products across the U.S., Canada, and beyond, helping people regain dignity and control over their menstrual health.

From the beginning, I knew this mission wasn’t just about providing products, it was about empowerment. Everyone deserves access to menstrual care that works for them, not just something they have to make do with. That’s why we prioritize variety, offering a range of fabrics and styles to ensure people receive products they feel comfortable using. Thanks to the dedication of thousands of volunteers, we’ve made that vision a reality.

Knowing that we’re not only meeting a critical need but also bringing comfort and confidence to so many fills me with immeasurable joy. I saw a unique problem, and I refused to accept the status quo. And I’m not quiet about it, I advocate loudly and proudly for reusable menstrual products, seizing every opportunity to educate and spark change. Because access to menstrual care isn’t a luxury—it’s a right.

Teysha, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am Teysha, the founder of Cloth Connection Outreach Charity (CCO), a volunteer-run nonprofit dedicated to ensuring that healthy, cost-saving reusable menstrual products are accessible to everyone. Our mission is to support individuals experiencing period poverty by providing free kits containing cloth menstrual pads or menstrual cups, along with essential hygiene items. We also offer low-cost cloth pad sets to help individuals build their supply without financial strain, which in turn helps sustain our nonprofit.

Because we are entirely volunteer-run, we are able to keep our programs low-cost or completely free, with the only expense being shipping. Unlike many organizations that operate under a one-size-fits-all model, we focus on personalized support. When I started CCO, there were no reusable menstrual charities assisting people in the U.S. The few international organizations I found had many understandable restrictions, but those limitations didn’t apply here. I wanted to create a program that offered a wide variety of products so we could provide exactly what each person needed, and thanks to our incredible volunteers, we make that happen every day.

Inclusivity is at the heart of everything we do. Anyone who has a period and is in need is welcome here. We do not discriminate. Our application even includes a section where applicants can share preferences, such as requesting gender-neutral colors or avoiding certain prints that may be triggering. We want everyone to feel comfortable and respected with what they receive.

At CCO, we believe that access to menstrual care should never be a privilege—it’s a right. And we’re committed to making a lasting difference, one kit at a time.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

“One person can’t change the world, so why try?” That statement breaks my heart—and fuels me at the same time. Because one person can create change.

I am one person. I had no background in nonprofit work. No experience managing a nationwide network of volunteers. No prior training in standing on a stage, pouring my heart out about how period poverty has profoundly shaped my life. But I started anyway.

At first, it was just me, sewing each individual kit, every pad, every bag, every drying strap. Then word spread. More people heard, more people wanted to help. And then even more. Now, we have thousands of volunteers worldwide, all working together to ensure that people in need have access to safe, reusable menstrual products.

One person can’t change the world alone, but one person can start a movement.

Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?

If I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I would still start the nonprofit. I wouldn’t alter a single step that led me here.

I love looking back on how it all began—working out of my house, with just a few small totes of fabric. Then came our first office space. It was tiny, but it was ours. Now, we’re in a large office, filled with storage shelves stacked high with bins overflowing with pads, supplies, and fabric.

It has been an incredible journey, and I wouldn’t trade a moment of it. I can’t wait to see where we go next!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://clothconnectionoutreach.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clothconnectionoutreach/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clothconnectionoutreach/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@clothconnectionoutreachcharity
• Other: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@end.period.poverty.cco?lang=en