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Health & Fitness

JLCW Diaper Drive: Diaper Bank of Westchester County


As a member of the Junior League of Central Westchester, I have joined the Diaper Awareness Committee.  Why diaper awareness you ask?  Well, did you know that some low income families in Westchester are re-using diapers?  Yes, you read that right.  Parents are washing out diapers and re-using them, which is an extreme health hazard and can cause a series of infections.  
See this article for more information: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2013/10/28/reusing_dirty_diapers_for_some_parents_living_in_pov...

According to the National Diaper Bank Network in New Haven, Connecticut, disposable diapers can cost approximately $150 a month, and unfortunately, food stamps or WIC cannot be used for diapers. Yes, you can purchase candy and cigarettes with food stamps, but not diapers.  In today's economy many families are struggling to make ends meet.  Working families that send their children to daycare need to ensure they have enough diapers to send with their child to daycare.  For a family with two children in diapers, you're talking upwards of $300 a month in diapers.  
Simply stated, without new, clean diapers, babies cannot go to daycare or educational facilities, which could cause a parent to not be able to go to work.  
For more information of the National Diaper Bank Network, please visit: http://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/index.html
What can you do to help?  The Junior League of Central Westchester and the Westchester County Department of Social Services have teamed up with other local non-profits to collect diapers and create a Diaper Bank in Westchester.  If you or your company would like to make a donation, please feel free to contact me, or visit: 
http://www.jlcentralwestchester.org/web/6239840/26

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