September 20, 2021

Diaper Need Awareness Week (Sept. 27-Oct. 3): City Hall, Fire & Police Among Collection Points For Citywide Diaper Drive

The Week of September 27 through October 3 is designated as Diaper Need Awareness Week nationwide, including here in Rapid City by Mayor Steve Allender. Monday through Friday of the week of Sept. 27-Oct. 1, diapers and wipes can be dropped off at several collection points in Rapid City, including City Hall, Fire Station 1 and the Public Safety Building. The Week of September 27 through October 3 is designated as Diaper Need Awareness Week nationwide, including here in Rapid City by Mayor Steve Allender. Monday through Friday of the week of Sept. 27-Oct. 1, diapers and wipes can be dropped off at several collection points in Rapid City, including City Hall, Fire Station 1 and the Public Safety Building. (City File Photo/Darrell Shoemaker)

NEXT WEEK:

CITY HALL, FIRE & POLICE SERVING

AS COLLECTION POINTS

FOR CITYWIDE DIAPER DRIVE

Mayor declaring Sept. 27-Oct. 3

as Diaper Need Awareness Week

RAPID CITY—The average infant requires a dozen diaper changes per day over three years and toddlers about eight changes per day. The average child will use 11,000 diapers.

For many families, the cost of diapers can be as much as $100 per month per child, especially impacting low-income families who cannot buy diapers with food stamps or WIC vouchers.

Mayor Steve Allender is proclaiming next week, September 27-October 3, as Diaper Need Awareness Week in Rapid City with City Hall, Fire Station 1, the Rapid City Public Safety Building and One Heart serving as collection points.  Mayor Allender is encouraging citizens to donate generously to the diaper drive during Awareness Week and throughout the year to diaper banks, diaper drives and organizations that distribute diapers to families in need in the community. 

The following locations will serve as collection points for packaged or boxed children’s diapers and diaper wipes during Awareness Week:

*City Hall, 300 Sixth Street: For a fifth consecutive year, the front lobby of City Hall will serve as a collection point Monday, September 27 through Friday, October 1.

*Public Safety Building, 300 Kansas City Street: The Rapid City Police Department and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office are working together and the front lobby of the public safety building will serve as a location for collection of diapers during Awareness Week.

*Rapid City Fire Department, Main Station, 10 Main Street, will serve as a collection point.

*One Heart’s Home Brew Coffee Shop, 201 Kansas City Street will serve as a collection location during the week.

*Mommy’s Closet, 111 New York Street, serves as an anytime collection location for diapers. 

All sizes of children’s diapers will be accepted with an emphasis on size five diapers since young children remain in that size longer than the other sizes.  Check and cash donations will also be accepted.  Modern Woodmen is offering up to a $2,500 match for any cash donations.  Checks can be mailed to 111 New York Street, Rapid City, SD 57701 or online at www.voanr.org/diapers  through October 3.  Other corporate efforts include TSP Architecture purchasing a pallet of diapers as part of the week-long collection drive.

            Volunteers of America received more than 18,000 diapers last year.  More than 5,000 diapers and wipes were collected at City Hall as part of the community-wide effort.

            Diaper need is defined as the condition of not having a sufficient supply of clean diapers to ensure infants and toddlers are clean, healthy and dry, and can adversely affect the health and welfare of infants, toddlers and their families.

            The mayoral proclamation cites these national statistics:

            *1 in 3 American families experience diaper need at some time while their children are less than three years of age;

            *5 million children in the United States aged three or younger live in poor or low-income families;

            *The poorest 20 percent of US families spend 14 percent of their income on diapers;

            *Infants require up to 12 diapers per day, toddlers about 8;

            *Disposable diapers can cost $70-$100 per month per baby;

            *Lack of diapers can have health risks such as rashes, urinary tract infections for children; and issues such as stress, anxiety and depression for parents and children;

            *57 percent of parents experiencing diaper need who rely on child care said they missed an average of four days of school or work in the past month because they don't have diapers;

            *48 percent of families delay changing a diaper to extend their supply in an effort to lessen economic hardships;

            *Diapers cannot be purchased with food stamps or WIC vouchers;

            *A monthly supply of diapers can cost as much as 6 percent of a full-time minimum wage worker's salary;  

            Rapid City's Mommy's Closet is one of three diaper banks in South Dakota that recognize the importance of diapers in helping provide economic stability for families and distribute diapers to disadvantaged families through 16 community partnerships.  The three diaper banks distribute more than 500,000 diapers annually.

            Monetary donations will also be accepted at Mommy’s Closet, where officials indicate $10 provides a package of baby wipes, $25 a pack of diapers, $35 a combination pack of diapers and wipes, $500 a pallet of diapers.

            For more information about Mommy’s Closet, contact 341-8336 or visit www.voanr.org/diapers to learn more about the diaper drive.

           

 

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