ONE® Condoms is excited to have donated condoms to eight Planned Parenthood Generation (PPGen) campus chapters across the country for the launch of Condoms to Colleges, a program to increase access to condoms and educate young people on safer sex.
As sexually transmitted infection (STIs) continue to climb and the pandemic makes it harder than ever to access sexual and reproductive health care, Condoms to Colleges is education and community activism at work.
"We were thrilled to be able to make this partnership happen. When student leaders told us about their challenges with condom access on campus, we knew we had to find a way to take action. It was powerful to see Planned Parenthood affiliates, seven Planned Parenthood Generation Action chapters, and three condom companies all come together to meet the needs of students. Sex education and access to condoms are so critical at this moment — when sexually transmitted infections continue to rise and the pandemic has made it harder than ever to access sexual and reproductive health care. Planned Parenthood is proud to do all we can to ensure students have the resources they need to practice safer sex, heave healthy relationships and plan for their futures. This is an example of ways how powerful it can be when the private sector, non-profits, and activists all come together!” - Morgan Callahan, Manager of Corporate Engagement, Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Starting in October, donated condoms will be distributed on eight college campuses — five of which are Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
Access to condoms makes a difference. Everyone should have the information and tools they need to practice safer sex, have healthy relationships, and plan their futures. Thx @ONECondoms & @bcondoms for these #CondomstoColleges for #FAMU! #plannedparenthood #ppfa #sexeducation pic.twitter.com/7LPhXtNra9
— Planned Parenthood of South, East + North Florida (@PPSENFL) October 5, 2021
The initiative launches at a time when instances of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) occur at over 2 million per year across the country, and the COVID-19 pandemic has changed sexual behaviors and limited access to STI testing. The participating campuses have a combined 70,000-student population of undergraduates across seven states.
Each institution received customized condoms, distributed with wallet cards with details about local Planned Parenthood health centers on one side. The other side of the wallet card features information about Chat/Text — a program that allows young people to get answers to all of their most pressing sexual health questions during private, live-chat sessions with a Planned Parenthood health educator. ONE printed customized wrapper designs that feature message about consent, in addition to cheeky designs with each school's colors.
"As the co-president of PPGA's UCSB Chapter I am ecstatic that we were selected to participate in the condoms to colleges campaign. According to the CDC, 20% of people in the US have a sexually transmitted infection. Given this information, it is so important to have resources and safe spaces to get sexual health products, especially on college campuses. I believe the campaign is important for these reasons, but it is also important to have college students looking out for each other and normalizing safer sex practices." - Allison Khadoo, PPGen Chapter Co-President, UCSB
The participating Condoms to Colleges PPGen chapters are at the following institutions: Hampton University (VA), Lincoln University (PA), Florida A&M University (FL), Christopher Newport University (VA), UC Santa Barbara (CA), University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI), North Carolina A&T University (NC), and Clark Atlanta University (GA). These eight campus chapters were chosen for this pilot initiative based on expressed need and demonstrated ability to distribute condoms, through PPGen campus outreach campaigns.
We're so thankful for this partnership, and for the amazing student leaders who are helping educate fellow students about sexual health!
