Diaper drive aims to cover more bottoms, keep infants healthy
Denver mayor proclaims National Diaper Need Awareness Week from Sept. 23-29
Denver, CO—Gabriel House Project aims to cover more baby bottoms with diapers this fall to provide low-income families with needed items and prevent health issues and infection among infants and toddlers.
The Gabriel House Project for low-income families launched its fall diaper drive this week, coinciding with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock’s proclamation recognizing efforts to collect diapers during National Diaper Need Awareness Week from September 23-29. According to national studies from the National Diaper Bank Network, 1-in-3 households struggle with diaper need—or the condition of not having sufficient supply of clean diapers—and 48 percent of families delay changing diapers to extend their supply, which risks causing health issues in babies.
“These facts were shocking when I first learned them, and I found them all to be true in the faces and stories of families we serve through our Gabriel House Project locations,” said Kalynn Webster, director of Gabriel House Project. “Surprisingly, there is no government assistance resource available for diapers. That is where organizations like ours are critical.”
The Bottom Line Diaper Bank, operated by Catholic Charities of Denver, provides some 344,000 diapers a year to low-income families for their infants and toddlers. This fall, volunteers and staff hope to collect thousands more to meet the demand from immigrant, homeless and struggling families who need assistance.
For more information about the diaper drive and the Gabriel House Project, visit ccdenver.org/diaper-drive.
