CNY Diaper Bank, a local, volunteer-run nonprofit that collects diapers for families in need, welcomes community members from downtown New York to its upcoming free take-out diaper distribution event on Saturday, December 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the organization’s head office at 4645 Crossroads Park Drive, Liverpool. This is the second distribution event made possible by a $ 10,000 grant from Excellus BlueCross BlueShield to help families struggling to purchase diapers, a basic health need.
Pre-registration is required on CNYDiaperBank.org and quantities of diapers are limited. Residents of Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, Madison, Oswego and Herkimer counties can register. Masks are required during the drive-in event.
During the diaper distribution at the car on November 17, 25,500 diapers were distributed to families for 520 babies and toddlers in the region. CNY Diaper Bank also distributed 360 boxes of Penguin Random House and Too Small to Fail, as well as 200 pairs of Hanna Andersson pajamas from Baby2Baby. Price Chopper supermarkets in Syracuse and Cicero donated reusable shopping bags for the event.
Due to the COVID-19 health crisis and associated economic fallout, the Diaper Bank has seen an increased number of families facing diaper needs and, in response, has doubled its distribution to over 1.8 million diapers this year alone.
“The Excellus BlueCross BlueShield grant is helping us provide more local babies with diapers, which are essential for their development,” said Michela Hugo, founder of CNY Diaper Bank. “All babies deserve the best start in life, and diapers are a basic need that they cannot live without.”
Research shows that children left in soiled diapers are at risk for infections and may suffer from prolonged crying and interrupted sleep. Mothers who need diapers often have increased anxiety and stress levels and are more likely to suffer from depression.
Half of all children under 5 in Syracuse alone live in poverty, and diapers are becoming a cost that many families cannot afford. An adequate supply of diapers for a single child can cost $ 100 per month. Although diapers are a basic need for babies, they are not covered by the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) or the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits.
CNY Diaper Bank was founded in May 2016 after Hugo learned that local branches were forced to turn down families who needed diapers. She used the support and guidance of the National Diaper Bank Network to start a diaper bank in Syracuse. CNY Diaper Bank works with 34 partner agencies in the region to distribute more than 185,000 diapers each month to more than 3,500 local babies and toddlers. The organization has distributed over 3 million diapers since its inception.
For more information on CNY Diaper Bank or to register for the next drive-up diaper distribution event, please visit CNYDiaperBank.org.
