On Saturday, September 12th, United Way of Central Georgia and Time 2 Elevate, hosted a drive-thru diaper drive in Downtown Macon. Several hundred families attended the event where organizers handed out about 10,000 diapers to families in need.
The need in Central Georgia is great due to the high poverty rate particularly with families with young children, but organizers didn't know how great the need for diapers IS until they saw the line of cars wrapped around the parking lot and down Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. People were lined up before the event started. They also called, emailed, and messaged organizers over a week before the event. The messages have continued after the event too.
Moms with stories like:
"we are down to our last pack of diapers"
or
"I had to leave my baby in a wet diaper longer to make it until pay day."
We need to do more...
Now, United Way of Central Georgia wants to make an even bigger dent. September 21st-27th is National Diaper Need Awareness Week. We are collecting diapers and training pants of all brands and sizes to help distribute to families in need, so no child ever has to stay in a wet diaper because his/her parents can't afford the next pack of diapers yet.
How can you help?
Donate Diapers
...and...
Refer a family in need to First Steps
Not only were volunteers able to distribute diapers at the Saturday diaper distribution, but were able to give out information on the valuable United Way of Central Georgia initiative, First Steps. First Steps Georgia supports any parent expecting a child and any caregiver for a child less than five-years-old (including adoptive parents, legal guardians, foster parents and grandparents). This initiative gives parents information on how best to keep their child healthy and safe and refers them to the best community resources that parents could want or need.
These include services such as: