Natalia Navarro '25 Brings Passion and Community Need Together to Launch a Nonprofit

By Sarah Hibshman Miller '98

It all began her Sophomore year when Natalia Navarro ‘25 participated in an exchange program through the Alzar School. She had the unique opportunity to spend two months living in Patagonia, Chile, followed by two months in Idaho, where the school is based. The program is centered on experiential learning and students were tasked with coupling a passion with a need in the community. “I have always been passionate about women’s rights and their unique needs,” said Natalia. With this in mind, she developed the idea for For the Flow, a student-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization promoting accessibility to period products and eliminating period poverty in Northeast Ohio.

While abroad, Natalia conducted research by engaging with people and organizations that work with the underprivileged population. “I learned about period poverty and how it is actually a crisis,” said Natalia. “It is the inaccessibility to period products due to financial instability and lack of education about products and needs. Young girls aren’t learning about what to expect when they get their period or where to find feminine hygiene projects.”

As part of her project, Natalia competed with fellow students and delivered a pitch about her then-fledgling idea. “My pitch resonated, and I received some seed money, which in turn really helped me to officially launch For the Flow,” she said.

A Capstone Project was Born

Though her idea for For the Flow was established while she was abroad, Natalia joined Laurel’s Capstone Program to further develop the idea upon her return. Capstone is a unique program that allows students the opportunity to engage in personally meaningful work that tackles real-world challenges and creates real-world solutions. The Capstone process, which students apply for and typically begin their Sophomore year, cultivates curiosity, purpose, innovation and leadership by giving students the time and resources they need to engage in active learning. Students work with a mentor—oftentimes a professional outside of Laurel—and continue building on their passion project, which culminates in a final project at the end of their Junior year. It was through Capstone that Natalia was able to fully take her For the Flow idea and turn it into a reality.

Since Natalia was abroad her Sophomore year, she officially applied to Capstone in the fall of her Junior year. “I work with a group of fellow Laurel students and students outside of Laurel who support the initiative. My mother is a lawyer and helped with the logistics of becoming an official nonprofit,” she said.

By spring 2024, Natalia had successfully established 501(c)(3) status for For the Flow and hasn’t looked back. The organization’s mission is “to eradicate period poverty in Northeast Ohio through action, education, and advocacy.”

Joe Corsaro, Upper School History teacher and Entrepreneurship Program Leader at Laurel, is Natalia’s mentor. He introduced her to the Teen Accelerate Pitch Contest, a civic-oriented contest focused on solving problems in Northeast Ohio. Natalia presented her ideas for For the Flow and was selected as one of ten Finalists in early 2024. Though she was not selected as a winner, Natalia’s Finalist standing gave her the confidence she needed to continue to press ahead in bringing For the Flow to those who need it.

In the summer of 2024, Natalia participated in a Harvard program called “Speaking with Power, Passion and Purpose.” It focused on public speaking and how to develop your content and delivery. Armed with new knowledge and practice around how best to present For the Flow to the masses, Natalia entered the Kent State Art Without Limits pitch contest, which entailed a short pitch describing one's business idea. “I delivered my pitch alongside nine other students who were selected from nine other Northeast Ohio schools,” she explained. “We were asked many questions about sources of revenue, long-term sustainability, and marketing.”

Fortunately, Natalia had answers! With a website (www.FortheFlow.org) already in place and established relationships with several local partner organizations—not to mention revenue generated through donors, grants, and pitch competitions—For the Flow was already making good on its mission.

On December 7, 2024, Natalia, with the help of her mentor Mr. Corsaro, led a Youth Entrepreneurship Workshop for middle school students from area schools called “Venture Visionaries.” This intro to entrepreneurship included a series of workshops about marketing, public speaking, business operations, and more. Students finished out the morning with a pitch contest for prizes.

“We purchase all period products online at a discount through our 501(c)(3) and have products shipped directly to clients, so we do not have to store anything,” Natalia explained. “Right now, we are providing period products to Edna House for Women, a rehab center, and Laura’s Home, a women’s crisis center. We also participated in an event with MedWish in November 2024 where we provided products to 600+ people during their free clinic.”

More Than Just Action

For the Flow is about more than just the action of providing period products to those in need. The organization also provides education about menstrual health and spreads awareness about period poverty to reduce the stigma surrounding menstruation. “We specifically work with middle and high schools to holistically educate youth about period poverty,” said Natalia. “Our goal is to understand the culture and community of each school we talk to, with respect to their approach on menstrual health. We hope to remove any fear or shame and promote a healthy understanding.”

Natalia shared information about a recent Ohio law that allows schools to provide free period products for grades 6-12 and is supported by an operating budget of $5 million. She said, “Beyond these initial funds, according to the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, schools may develop a plan that addresses sustainability through partnerships with local nonprofit organizations that support providing free period-products.” This is another area where For the Flow hopes to provide support. “We are collecting data and information about what local schools are doing to comply with this new law. We continue to connect with potential sustainable suppliers and have several student volunteers willing to help.”

In November, Natalia participated on a panel through the Brentwood Foundation Community Physicians Scholars Program, a compilation of the Cleveland Clinic and the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine that embraces and encourages diversity among the providers caring for the diverse populations of our communities while providing the highest quality care. Through this panel, Natalia was able to share the mission of For the Flow with medical students from Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and doctors and residents from the Cleveland Clinic.