Diapers being collected for moms in need

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 child care 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 by June 15 in collection bins at the Wheaton Park District Community Center, 1777 S. Blanchard Road, Wheaton, and Fountaindale Public Library, 300 West Briarcliff Road, Bolingbrook.

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, Wheaton, and 649 Blackhawk, Westmont.

"There is no denying the need for diapers is great, with one in three 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.

Cloth diapers are not an option for families in need of diapers since 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.

"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 said.

For more information about the need for diapers, visit www.mothersandmore.orgor nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/.