BELLOWS FALLS — For babies, access to fresh diapers is a basic need. Keeping babies dry and clean is critical to their health and well-being, as well as to the happiness of those around them.
Yet, according to a Parks Place and Youth Services news release, one in three American families report experiencing diaper need, and the poorest families can spend as much as 14 percent of their income on diapers and wipes.
In a recent Feeding America study, “In Short Supply,” 32 percent of low-income families reported reusing disposable diapers, while 48 percent reported delaying changing a diaper to make their supply last longer.
Diapers can't be obtained with food stamps and no state or federal child safety-net program allocates dollars specifically for the purchase of diapers. Without transportation, buying diapers at a convenience store rather than a large “big box” store can significantly increase the monthly cost of diapers.
Parks Place and Youth Services are addressing this basic household need in the Greater Falls area by forming a Diaper Bank. To celebrate its grand opening, a Diaper Shower will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Banks like this are available across the nation but, according to the news release, this will be the very first one in the state of Vermont. It was started with the help of a $3,000 grant from the United Way of Windham County Spark fund.
This project will be run with the help of the Young Moms Group. By involving young women in the community, Parks Place says the bank has the potential to increase parenting and life skills, build self-esteem, and strengthen community bonds in the commonly isolated population of teen parents.
Because the diaper bank will be housed at Parks Place, parents who come to pick up diapers can also be exposed to the numerous other programs there that are available to assist them.
Parks Place seeks diaper donations and will gladly accept any brand or size. If you have open packages of diapers that your child has outgrown, they will also have a bin available to accept and repackage them. This resource is available to anyone in the Greater Falls Community.