SYRACUSE — The CNY Diaper Bank, a local nonprofit that collects and has distributed over 7 million diapers to families in need in Syracuse, encourages businesses, individuals and families to participate in its activities in honor of “National Diaper Need Awareness Week” from Sept. 24-Oct. 2.
Community members can help raise awareness of diaper need by donating dollars, hosting a diaper drive and/or walking in the “Downtown Diaper Walk” on Thursday, Sept. 29. To double the impact, the first $5,000 in donations made in September will be matched, thanks to a matching grant sponsorship by Pinnacle Investments, LLC.
National Diaper Need Awareness Week was created in 2012 by the National Diaper Bank Network to raise awareness and mobilize efforts to end diaper need, a hidden consequence of poverty. In Syracuse alone, half of all children under 5 years old live in poverty, and one out of four lives in extreme poverty.
“For one in three moms, choosing between buying food or buying diapers for their babies is an everyday crisis in Syracuse that the CNY Diaper Bank is working to eliminate,” said Michela Hugo, founder of the CNY Diaper Bank. “The Downtown Diaper Walk is a new way for families and local businesses to raise awareness of diaper need in our community, collect diapers and raise funds. All funds raised will go directly toward diaper purchases to support local families facing financial hardship.”
The Downtown Diaper Walk will be held at 11 a.m. Sept. 29 in coordination with the Early Childhood Alliance and the Downtown Committee of Syracuse. The walk will begin at the Salt City Market and end at City Hall. Registration for the walk is free, but participants are encouraged to make monetary donations or donate diapers at the event. Individuals, families and community groups interested in participating can register online. Along with families and community members, downtown offices, shops and restaurants are encouraged to participate in the walk.
Businesses can maximize their impact by organizing company-wide diaper drives or by hosting a collection box and offering a coupon or freebie to patrons who contribute. Businesses interested in participating can register online as well.
Additionally, donating dollars or hosting a diaper drive are other opportunities to get involved in National Diaper Need Awareness Week. The CNY Diaper Bank uses donations to purchase diapers in bulk for an average cost of just 15 cents per diaper compared with more than 25 to 35 cents at retail price. Diaper drives are an easy and effective way to build awareness and collect much-needed diapers for the local nonprofit. For resources to host your own diaper drive, please visit cnydiaperbank.org/diaperdrives.
The CNY Diaper Bank is also collaborating with Symphoria to host a diaper drive during the organization’s fall concert series, including performances on Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 8. Symphoria patrons are invited to donate diapers or dollars to the CNY Diaper Bank and will be eligible to win $100 gift cards to Laci’s Tapas Bar and Empire Aesthetics.
Though diapers are an essential need for babies, there are currently no public safety net programs for diapers. They are not covered by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or by Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits. Since an adequate supply of diapers for a single child can cost $100 per month, diapers become a cost many families can’t afford.
The CNY Diaper Bank works with 47 partner agencies in the area to distribute over 185,000 diapers to more than 3,000 local babies and toddlers each month. The organization has distributed over 1.2 million diapers in 2022 alone.
For more information about the CNY Diaper Bank and diaper need, or to make a monetary donation, please visit cnydiaperbank.org.
