It's Diaper Need Awareness Week and the CNY Diaper Bank is on track to deliver a record number of diapers this year. In fact, it’s become the largest diaper bank in the state. The emergency need for diapers shows no signs of slowing down at a time when prices are on the rise and childhood poverty continues. Founder Michela Hugo said the numbers of families in need of diapers going through the toughest of times including those in between jobs is staggering.
“We are distributing over 250,000 diapers every month now. We’re on track to distribute over 3 million diapers this year,” said Hugo. “And we know we’re still not meeting full need. And now we’re reaching outside Onondaga County, outside the City of Syracuse.”
Hugo is hoping during Diaper Need Awareness Week they can fundraise enough to fully utilize a $10,000 matching grant challenge on the table from NBT Bank and LeGrand . Hugo says diapers generally cost parents $100 a month for a single child, and the families they serve can’t afford it.
“Families that are low income aren’t usually able to take advantage of bulk pricing or buy large boxes that can help them lower the cost per diaper cause they don’t that money up front to be able to spend.”
However, monetary donations allow the CNY Diaper bank to get the lowest bulk price around 13 cents per diaper. Businesses, churches and schools can hold diaper drives to support the cause and there’s a list of drop-off locations. The diaper bank is marking its 10th anniversary.
