Imagine needing to choose between buying diapers for your child or putting gas in your car. Or trying to wash a dirty disposable diaper because you don’t have any fresh ones for your baby. In America, this is a reality for many families with young children, with diapers costing nearly $80 monthly for families with just one young child.
Recognizing this need in the Dare County community, Children & Youth Partnership for Dare County (CYP) launched CYP’s Diaper Bank in June of 2020 thanks to a generous grant from the Outer Banks Community Foundation and the amazing support of individuals, businesses, and organizations in our local community. Since that time, CYP has been able to distribute an estimated 220,000 diapers to families through monthly contactless pick-up events and additional diaper drive-thru events across the Outer Banks.
This month, CYP’s Diaper Bank is turning three-years-old, and CYP needs YOUR HELP. CYP would not be able to distribute diapers to families in the community without the support of local businesses, individuals, and organizations who have provided both diapers and dollars to support CYP’s Diaper Bank.
As a celebration of the third birthday of CYP’s Diaper Bank, a goal has been set of collecting 300 packs of new, unopened diapers during the week of June 26-30. Reaching that goal would provide an estimated 9,500 diaper changes for the better in the Dare County community.
There are many ways to help. On CYP’s website, a ‘Diaper Drive Toolkit’ is available for use by anyone who is interested in holding their own diaper drive. Tax-deductible monetary donations and donations of unopened diapers are also accepted for CYP’s Diaper Bank. Visit darekids.org/blog/cyps-diaper-bank to learn more about how you can help.
Any families in need of diapers can come by one of the regular diaper distribution events, including CYP’s Diaper Drive-Thru at the Fessenden Center in Buxton on June 29, or one of CYP’s monthly contactless diaper pick-up events that occur on the second Tuesday and Wednesday of every month at the CYP office in Manteo. All diaper distribution events are free for families.
To learn more about upcoming diaper distribution events or to follow our progress on reaching our Birthday goal, please visit www.darekids.org, follow CYP on Facebook at facebook.com/cypdarekids, or contact CYP at (252)441-0614.
