Diaper Bank Update

 

About 1 in 3 mothers struggle to afford diapers, according to a Huggies study.

The Westchester County Diaper Bank, an initiative of the Junior League of Central Westchester, is hosting a drive to collect diapers for the county’s neediest residents. Community members are encouraged to drop off diapers and wipes.

The drive will be held 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 26th to benefit the Child Care Council of Westchester. The biggest need is for diapers in sizes 4, 5 and 6 as well as pull-up style training pants. Diapers and wipes can be dropped off at the Child Care Council, at 313 Central Park Ave. in Scarsdale, N.Y.

Childcare providers and diaper recipients will be available at the event to share their experiences and chat with participants.

“Diapers are very expensive and they’re not covered by government aid, like food stamps,” said Wendy Armstrong, director of the Westchester County Diaper Bank. “This can force people into making terrible choices. Sometimes they have to choose between paying their electricity or rent bills and buying diapers. Or they have to borrow money.”

The cost of diapers can be a heavy financial burden for struggling families. Diapers for one child cost nearly $1,000 a year, roughly $18 a week for about 50 diapers. And prices have been rising during the pandemic.

About one in three women have reported cutting back on essentials like food, utilities or childcare to afford diapers for their children, according to a Huggies study.

“All parents want to do is take good care of their babies and they can’t afford this basic necessity,” said Armstrong.

In Westchester County, more than 8,000 children up to the age of 4 live in poverty. To put that into perspective, it would take about 20.8 million diapers a year to provide enough for each family living below the poverty line in the county.

“Many parents are struggling to afford to buy diapers for their children, therefore allowing children to wear moist and soiled diapers for too long,” said Juanita Pope, Office and Community Events Manager at the Child Care Council of Westchester. “Help us keep our babies clean, dry and healthy by donating diapers to families in need.”

“The diaper bank has fostered partnerships and friendships across Westchester County while promoting volunteerism, training, and leadership,” said Junior League of Central Westchester President Michelle Memoli. “Since its inception, more than 1 million diapers have been donated and distributed in our community. Those diapers help to support families—and our most precious and vulnerable members of the community—our babies.”

Diapers are generally distributed each month at the Westchester County Department of Social Services’ locations in White Plains, Yonkers, Mount Vernon and Peekskill. They are also distributed throughout the year at other community organizations, including ones that provide disaster relief.

For more information, visit our Diaper Bank page or contact donatediapers@jlcentralwestchester.org.