by Bob Campbell,
Workfirst Coordinator
The folks I am working with in the WORKFIRST program to find jobs are in a catch-22 .
To work they must have day care, and to send their child to day care they must have diapers. They can’t buy diapers with food stamps (go figure), so they need to work to get money to buy diapers. However, they can’t work because they can’t get day care and so on and so forth.
A child that sits in the same diaper all day is vulnerable to diaper rash, infections, even abuse. Think about it… a baby cries long and hard until getting changed.
I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have a tiny baby to care for, but not be able to afford clean, dry diapers. Like most people I know, I have not had to face the responsibility of caring for a baby without a family or support system in place to help and guide me. This is not true for some of the young parents I have met recently. There are many programs and people who can help with the majority of the problems faced by these young, inexperienced moms and dads, although they are not always able to take advantage of them.
To ensure the health and well-being of their babies, these parents need a ready supply of clean, dry diapers. However, diapers cannot be purchased with food stamps, and they are not taken into consideration by the WIC (Women Infants and Children) program.
You can help fill this gap by donating to the Vance County Diaper Bank, c/o United Way of Vance County. Or, the next time you’re shopping, purchase a few diapers (any size) and drop them off at the following locations:
Thank you in advance for helping out Vance County’s children!