By Jenna Bree LIVERPOOL, N.Y. — Michela Hugo, founder of the CNY Diaper Bank, sits on the floor of her office surrounded by mounds of diapers. While she is carefully and deliberately stacking them in big blue Ikea bags, another volunteer is folding reusable cloth diapers in the next room over.
According to surveys, 50 percent of children under the age of five in the city of Syracuse live in poverty. Diapers are expensive. It can cost families $100 per month just to supply diapers to one child. Hugo says there are many consequences of diaper need.
“Their babies cry more, they’re uncomfortable, they’re at risk for severe diaper infection,” she said. “Moms feel inadequate, they feel super stressed, and they’re more likely to experience depression.”
National Diaper Need Awareness Week aims to draw attention to this issue. Diapers are more expensive for poor families because they can only afford small packs when they shop for diapers; they usually don’t have the ability to buy them in bulk. Assistance programs like food stamps, WIC, and SNAP don’t cover diapers. Daycare centers won’t accept children who don’t attend with a supply of diapers.
“It was just an overlooked consequence of poverty for so long in Central New York,” said Hugo.
But thanks to local partners like The Salvation Army, Vera House, InterFaith Works and more, the bank is able to distribute 80,000 diapers each month.
“This community has really shown that they care about our most vulnerable,” said Hugo.
Barre3 and Lululemon Syracuse are hosting a donation-based workout to benefit the CNY Diaper Bank at 6 p.m. on Friday September 27 at the Barre3 studio in the DeWitt Marshall’s Plaza, located at 3401 Erie Blvd East. Donations can be made in the form of a check made out to the “CNY Diaper Bank Inc.” or cash. You can register online if you want to participate.
The Bank is also partnering with Syracuse University Athletics to hold a diaper drive before the September 28th football game against Holy Cross. You can bring diapers to help stuff the “Otto Car,” which will be located on the the Quad from 9a.m to 12p.m. The diaper bank accepts all clean and usable diapers, and has a major need for sizes five and six.
Michela Hugo, founder of the CNY Diaper Bank, sits on the floor of her office surrounded by mounds of diapers. While she is carefully and deliberately stacking them in big blue Ikea bags, another volunteer is folding reusable cloth diapers in the next room over.
According to surveys, 50 percent of children under the age of five in the city of Syracuse live in poverty. Diapers are expensive; it can cost families $100 per month just to supply diapers to one child. Hugo says there are many consequences of diaper need.
“Their babies cry more, they’re uncomfortable, they’re at risk for severe diaper infection,” she said. “Moms feel inadequate, they feel super stressed, and they’re more likely to experience depression.”
National Diaper Need Awareness Week aims to draw attention to this issue. Diapers are more expensive for poor families because they can only afford small packs when they shop for diapers; they usually don’t have the ability to buy them in bulk. Assistance programs like food stamps, WIC, and SNAP don’t cover diapers. Daycare centers won’t accept children who don’t attend with a supply of diapers.
“It was just an overlooked consequence of poverty for so long in Central New York,” said Hugo.
But thanks to local partners like The Salvation Army, Vera House, InterFaith Works and more, the bank is able to distribute 80,000 diapers each month.
“This community has really shown that they care about our most vulnerable,” said Hugo.
Barre3 and Lululemon Syracuse are hosting a donation-based workout to benefit the CNY Diaper Bank at 6 p.m. on Friday September 27th at the Barre3 studio in the DeWitt Marshall’s Plaza, 3401 Erie Blvd E. Donations can be made in the form of a check made out to the “CNY Diaper Bank Inc.” or cash. You can register online if you want to participate. https://barre3.com/studio-locations/syracuse.
The Bank is also partnering with Syracuse University Athletics to hold a diaper drive before the September 28th football game against Holy Cross. You can bring diapers to help stuff the “Otto Car,” which will be located on the the Quad from 9a.m to 12p.m. The diaper bank accepts all clean and usable diapers, and has a major need for sizes five and six.
