Courtesy of WWMT
A women-led, student group at Grand Valley State University is breaking barriers by offering discreet access to free, emergency contraception and other sexual health resources. Founded by GVSU students Kendel Franz, Tyleur Wright and Evelyn Maiuri, Grand Rapids Free Emergency Contraception (GRFreeEC) aims to support students and the surrounding community with free reproductive health supplies amid associated financial and accessibility challenges.
GRFreeEC represents an initiative to address the reproductive health needs of college students by combining advocacy, accessibility and education. By offering discreet and free resources, the group aims to reduce stigma and alleviate financial burdens. With their official launch on the horizon, the founders are determined to make a lasting impact, ensuring reproductive health is a priority.
The inception of GRFreeEC started with a post on social media. Franz had posted a story to Snapchat, asking if anyone would be interested in starting the organization with her, which led to becoming co-founders with Wright and Maiuri.
“I originally gained inspiration from my cousin Mackenzie Lovell, who is a co-founder of Michigan State University’s East Lansing Emergency Contraceptives,” Franz said. “(I) wanted to achieve similar goals here in Allendale (and) Grand Rapids.”
GRFreeEC intends to provide free Plan B, condoms and pregnancy tests through discreet peer-to-peer distribution. The group plans to fully launch in January, with a volunteer-based delivery system that prioritizes privacy for students.
“Our organization will offer volunteer opportunities to students and community members to be a part of change,” Wright said. “We also will provide some educational material on Plan B, and help people get connected with other resources if they choose.”
Although the official launch is still a few months away, the group has already started building momentum by organizing events and managing an active Instagram page. The page features flyers with details about meeting times and other information adjacent to their organization. The group emphasizes its commitment to setting new goals and continuously expanding its offerings to better serve their mission.
The group’s main mission aims to promote access to reproductive health, especially in response to concerns of undivulged policies. They seek to erase any shame surrounding using contraception.
“With the results of the election raising stigma around reproductive health, it’s crucial that we’re here,” Franz said. “We need to be present on not only the campus, but in communities too. We should be constantly working to decrease the stigma of reproductive health and increasing people’s accessibility when they need it.”
Franz, Wright and Maiuri emphasized that the group’s mission is especially relevant to college students, for whom reproductive health resources are often prohibitively expensive.
“Grand Rapids Free Emergency Contraception is important for GVSU’s (Allendale and Grand Rapids) campuses because the age range of college students is the largest group to utilize emergency contraception,” Wright said. “On top of that, having to pay close to $50 dollars (for Plan B) as a college student may be difficult.”
Franz emphasized the importance of accessible, reproductive health resources for college students.
“Sexual and reproductive health is so beyond important wherever you go, and that is no exception here” Franz said. “Our group allows students and people of the Allendale community to not worry about financial burdens, especially while in college.”
Maiuri further capitalized on why she believes the group is an important resource.
“GRFreeEC is tremendously important for GVSU’s campuses, as everyone has different experiences when it comes to sexual health, all of which I think are valid,” Maiuri said. “Overall, on a college campus, sexual health should be advocated for.”