What is a "Pad Pounding"?

If you have never heard of a Pounding, do not worry; you are not alone! I never knew of a Pounding until I was pregnant with my second daughter and several teachers at the school where I taught hosted a Diaper Pounding for me.  I already had all the "big ticket" baby items I needed from my first child, and it didn't seem quite fair to ask or expect a second baby shower, but the Diaper Pounding was the most wonderful surprise!  New parents can never have enough diapers and wipes, but more than that was the love I felt that my friends and co-workers were with me, they saw me, and I was not alone. As a new parent, even for the second time, life can just seem overwhelming and this moment made a huge difference. Since then, I have participated in several Poundings over the years as friends have had their own children. As I began thinking about how we could ever collect enough pads and feminine products to make a difference in our community, I thought a Pounding would be perfect. I also thought it would be nice if I actually understood how this whole Pounding idea came to be.

Pounding dates back to the age of the original Quakers. The custom was established to welcome a new pastor and his family into a congregation.  The Quaker term came from giving a pound...a pound of corn, a pound of meal, oats, rice, etc....from one's own pantry to build the pantry of the pastor and his family. The entire concept goes back to the truest sense of community and the shared responsibility to provide for and love one another. How awesome is that? 

Now, our Poundings will look a little different. We will host a PAD POUNDING where we will be collecting pads and other menstrual and feminine hygiene products.  These can be community-led, outreach projects or an "add-on" to professional, civic, religious, school, sports, birthday, etc. events. The ideas are endless! I am always excited to learn new ways to get people together and make a difference, so please contact us with any ideas you have. The goal is to collect the much needed feminine products, but also Pound our community with the love that we all so deeply crave and deserve. Together we can show our young people - they are seen and they are loved, their education and their well-being is important to us all, and they are not alone.