Junior League Sponsors Diaper Drive

The Junior League of Central Westchester (JLCW) is kicking off their “Do Your Duty” Campaign to help ease diaper deprivation in Westchester. Diapers are an important basic need and it is for this reason that the JLCW is seeking to meet their goal of 2,000 packaged diapers, sizes 3, 4, and 6 for the toddlers attending Family Services of Westchester’s Early Head Start program in White Plains. The JLCW is part of The Association of Junior Leagues International, Inc. (AJLI), one of the largest, most effective women’s volunteer organizations in the world. The AJLI is a major partner of Kimberly-Clark’s Huggies® Every Little Bottom program, which will donate more than 22.5 million diapers to babies and moms in need in North America in 2011.

Why is the Junior League adopting this project? Because according to a study commissioned by the Huggies® Every Little Bottom program, one in three American mothers struggle to provide diapers for their babies. These mothers have had to cut back on basics such as food, utilities like heat or electricity, or even child care in order to provide enough diapers. This often leads to babies being kept in wet, dirty diapers for extended periods of time, resulting in babies suffering. What was also realized is that many mothers struggle with providing enough diapers to daycares because most licensed daycares require a full day supply of disposable diapers. Therefore, mothers sometimes miss work or school because they didn’t have enough diapers. Even more compelling is that diapers are not covered by Federal Programs and is a major gap in the assistance of children and their mothers.

You may help by dropping diapers off at the JLCW’s headquarters at the Wayside Cottage, 1039 Post Rd., Scarsdale, NY, or by visiting their website for participating vendors and drop off locations.