The Great Diaper Drive 2013
A Need
Last month a study about diaper need and its effects on maternal stress as well as child health and development was published by Pediatrics, a prominent medical journal. It revealed that almost 30% of American women reported having struggled with the expense of diapers and a shocking 8% admitted to letting their child stay in a diaper they knew was dirty in order to make them last longer and even going so far as scraping a dirty diaper clean and reusing!
[sws_pullquote_left]Almost 30% of American women reported having struggled with the expense of diapers. [/sws_pullquote_left] You may have seen these articles yourself and if you’re like many of the writers here at Rocket City Mom, you were probably appalled but not necessarily surprised. Most of us count ourselves as blessed to be firmly in the middle-class and yet we know all too well how diapers and wipes can add to family financial stress. We realize that for those living in need the added stress of having to choose between food and diapers must be devastating. So naturally, we wanted to do something and then we had an idea. We called up our friends at Manna House and began planning The Great Diaper Drive.An Idea
Once the decision to move forward was made it was quick work to get everyone (and we mean everyone) on board. Kidventure offered up their space for The Great Diaper Shower, a kick-off event for the month-long drive, and an opportunity for us all to get together and have fun while doing good. Several local children’s/family businesses throughout Huntsville and Madison said they would serve as drop-off locations, Huntsville Hospital pitched in to cover promotional costs, and both WHNT 19 and 88.1 WAY-FM offered to serve as media partners. In fact, Michelle Stark, morning anchor and a new mother herself, has taken this project to heart and we know she will carry our little drive to the next level!
What You Can Do
There are many ways you can help and it’s important to realize that even if all you have to donate is a half-pack of unused diapers your little one has outgrown, you are making a huge difference. As of last night, Manna House had four (4) diapers! It is one of their biggest requests and they are often short of what is needed.
We can all agree that every baby deserves a clean diaper so here are four ways you can contribute to this wonderful cause.
- Help us spread the word by sharing this page, telling your friends about the drive, and then sharing this page again!
- Donate at one of our many drop-off locations.
- Attend The Great Diaper Shower on September 8th from 2-6PM at Kidventure. There will be plenty of fun, live entertainment, face painting, and food – we’ll have shaved ice and On-On Tacos (if you get there before 3:30).
- Lastly, you can donate online and your gift is completely tax-deductible. Be sure to type in “diapers” in the comment section so they know the money is to be used for the drive.
Rocket City Mom is a website about raising children in and around Huntsville, Alabama. Started in late 2010 by a local mom and newcomer to Huntsville, Rocket City Mom has grown into a thriving community of local parents and now boasts a staff of four, thirteen regular contributors, and tens of thousands of Tennessee Valley readers making it the #1 Parenting Resource in North Alabama.