SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The CNY Diaper Bank has kicked off a week of activities in honor of Diaper Need Awareness Week in Syracuse Sept. 24-30. Diaper Need Awareness Week is an initiative created by the National Diaper Bank Network to bring national attention and mobilize efforts to end diaper need, a hidden consequence of poverty.
The CNY Diaper Bank is the driving force behind bringing Diaper Need Awareness Week to Syracuse. The nonprofit organization was created in May 2016 after founder Michela Hugo, wife of Pinckney Hugo Group partner and chief operating officer Aaron Hugo, read about diaper need on a national level. She examined how the issue was dealt with locally and discovered a tremendous public need.
Fifty percent of Syracuse children under 5 years old live in poverty, and diapers become a cost families can’t afford. An adequate supply of diapers for one child can cost $100 per month, and a healthy child will require about 2,600 diaper changes per year. Local organizations often struggle to keep up with demand due to a lack of resources and because no state or federal children safety-net programs allocate dollars specifically for diaper purchases.
The CNY Diaper Bank is 100 percent volunteer-run, and PHG has been there from the start, initially housing operations out of the agency’s building. Today, PHG continues to participate in volunteer diaper-wrapping sessions and diaper drives, and donates professional marketing services, including logo design, collateral, website design, social media support, videos, media relations and premium materials. PHG also established a Google Ad Grant account to provide the opportunity for free advertising on the Google Ads Search network to drive traffic to the organization’s website.
In less than 2 1/2 years, the CNY Diaper Bank has distributed more than 700,000 diapers and now distributes more than 40,000 diapers to families each month through 22 partner agencies. In May, the organization collected more than 150,000 diapers during its third annual “Make a Mother’s Day” Diaper Drive, surpassing its goal of 100,000. Huggies donated 170,000 diapers in July and BomBom Baby donated close to 150,000 diapers in September.
Ways to get involved:
- Donate directly to the CNY Diaper Bank through cnydiaperbank.org or mail donations to CNY Diaper Bank, ShoppingTown Mall, 3649 Erie Blvd. East, Syracuse, NY 13214. The CNY Diaper Bank uses donations to purchase diapers in bulk for an average cost of just 13 cents per diaper compared with more than 25-35 cents at retail.
- Donate Diapers: The organization accepts new packs and open packs of leftover diapers and pull-ups in all sizes.
- Host a diaper drive or a “Dollars for Diapers” drive. One dollar donated to the organization will keep one baby or toddler clean and dry for an entire day.
- Count and wrap diapers for distribution in Central New York. Sign up at cnydiaperbank.org/events.
To learn more on how to donate to the organization, or how to hold your own diaper drive using the “Diaper Drive Toolkit” and other resources, visit www.cnydiaperbank.org.
About CNY Diaper Bank:
The Central New York Diaper Bank is a nonprofit that was created in 2016 to help social service organizations in the Syracuse area distribute diapers to families in need. It is a part of the National Diaper Bank Network. CNY Diaper Bank’s mission is to ensure that all Central New York families have access to an adequate supply of diapers, and to build awareness of diaper need in our community.
