DuPage Mothers & More Diaper Drive to Help Moms in Need
DUPAGE COUNTY - Imagine on top of all the stresses of motherhood, the added stress of not being able to diaper your child. Imagine having to take a bus, with kids in tow, to shop for an enormous box of diapers, or only being able to buy them in an expensive, convenience store. Imagine not being able to work, because you cannot provide the childcare center with enough diapers. This is the reality for too many mothers.
To help diminish this struggle for low-income moms, Mothers & More, a national membership organization providing community and programming for moms, is hosting a diaper drive, "Make a Mother's Day." This is the second year Mothers & More has held the diaper drive, and this year, the organization's goal is to collect more than 60,000 diapers.
Residents are encouraged to donate diapers in collection bins at the following locations:
• Wheaton Parks Community Center, 1777 S. Blanchard Rd., Wheaton (until June 15)
• Fountaindale Public Library, 300 West Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook (until June 15)
• Fox Valley Park District Eola Community Center, 555 S. Eola Road, Aurora (until June 5)
All diapers will be donated to the People's Resource Center, a nonprofit organization in Wheaton that offers food, basic necessities and other services to low-income residents of DuPage County. PRC also will be accepting diaper donations at their locations at 201 S. Naperville Road in Wheaton and 649 Blackhawk in Westmont.
"There is no denying the need for diapers is great, with 1 in 3 U.S. families struggling to afford diapers and no help from government assistance programs to help pay for diapers," said Rebecca Osterman, DuPage Mothers & More diaper drive organizer.
"Mothers & More members find great value in advocating to improve mothers' lives, so this diaper drives allows us to do just that, to work together as a community to help better the lives of low-income moms, as well as call attention to a real problem affecting too many mothers," Osterman added.
Facts about the Diaper Need:
● Government assistance programs such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (food stamps) do not cover the purchase of diapers.
● Cloth diapers are not an option for families in need of diapers. Many low-income families do not have washing machines and many laundromats do not allow cloth diapers. Additionally, licensed day care centers, especially the free and subsidized centers, don't accept cloth diapers.
● For families that can't afford diapers, a baby may spend an extended period of time in a soiled diaper, increasing the risk for numerous health problems.
For more information about the need for diapers, visit http://www.mothersandmore.org or http://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/.
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About Mothers & More
Mothers & More is a membership organization that provides community and programming for moms through all stages, phases and transitions of motherhood. For 27 years, Mothers & More has been offering moms an opportunity to connect both locally and virtually. For more information, visit www.mothersandmore.org. For local chapter news, visit www.dupagemothersandmore.org
About People's Resource Center
Since 1975, People's Resource Center has been bringing neighbors together to respond to hunger and poverty in DuPage County. With a team of over 1,500 volunteers, we offer nutritious food and other basic necessities like clothes and rent assistance for people facing tough times. And we connect people with resources-education and tutoring, jobs, technology, art, a caring community-to create a future of hope and opportunity for all. For more information, visit http://www.peoplesrc.org/