Welcome to our new Assistant Directors!

We are very excited to announce that we have hired two energetic, intelligent women to help lead The MoonCatcher Project. Brynn Watkins and Claire Jennings joined us this month as Co-Assistant Directors, and they have hit the ground running. In March Brynn will accompany Ellie to Uganda, and then Claire will join her in Malawi. They come to us with a world of knowledge about Period Poverty!

Read on to learn more about them in their own words!

Hello everyone!

We are Brynn Watkins and Claire Jennings, and we are so excited to announce that we will be stepping into the role of Co-Assistant Directors for the MoonCatcher Project in 2026. We have been involved in the fight against period poverty in the Capital Region for almost four years and are excited to continue this work with such an incredible organization!

In 2022, we became New York State Public Health Corps Fellows in Schenectady County. During our fellowship, we worked on many public health programs and had the unique opportunity to start our own. In the fall of 2022, while conducting STI prevention work with community-based organizations, we were met with a simple question: “Could you provide period products?”. This question would change our lives.

After asking around, we realized that period products were not readily available to donate to our community-based organizations. Their high cost, and stigmatization had created a significant barrier. Determined to address this gap in access, we researched and applied for grant funding opportunities and put a call out for in-kind and monetary donations. We secured several small grants, and the period product donations came rolling in, allowing us to get our initiative (Capital Region Menstrual Health) off of the ground. 

As our initiative grew, we played with the idea of starting a free period pantry - an idea that was sparked by The Free Flow Box in Ohio. With our limited funds, we decided to purchase an old newspaper dispenser on Facebook Marketplace for $60. We created our own version containing a variety of menstrual pads, tampons, and panty liners. Our first free period pantry launched in November 2022, and quickly expanded to over ten locations across Schenectady, Albany, and Troy.

In the spring of 2024, our Fellowship term ended. We stopped donations to organizations and feared we would have to shut down our period pantries altogether. Then, as luck would have it, Ellie and The MoonCatcher Project offered to take over upon the conclusion of our Fellowship, ensuring the continuation of the initiative we were so passionate about.

We met Ellie a few years ago when we received an email from an organization in Malawi asking for menstrual products. As our scope was focused on the Capital Region, we were unable to help.

After a quick search, we found Ellie and the MoonCatcher Project, sparking a connection. In our pursuit for a world where period products are available everywhere, and where every individual can participate fully in their life every day of the month, we are so fortunate to know Ellie, and to have her as a mentor in our lives. She truly is remarkable, and we are so lucky to join her wonderful organization.

Here’s to a bright future of fighting period poverty ahead!

Brynn and Claire

Brynn Watkins

Claire Jennings

And to add to the good news, in September the Board voted to elect two members into executive positions. Charlotte Mack and Randi Broadwell have taken the reins as Board Co-Vice Presidents. Their knowledge, tech savvy and leadership abilities have already strengthened our organization in many ways. We are so excited to welcome new leadership!

Co-Vice President, Randi Broadwell

Co-Vice President and Former Assistant Director, Charlotte Mack

With these four talented women on our team, we are confident that the future of The MoonCatcher Project will be bright!