Babies in the Tennessee Valley need our help. Let’s take action for them together!
WHNT News 19 is partnering with Rocket City Mom and iHeartMedia Huntsville for The Great Diaper Drive; collecting diapers and wipes for local children. Our annual effort reached a new milestone last year, with the formation of The Diaper Bank at the Food Bank of North Alabama — a first ever bank of its kind in the Tennessee Valley.
This year, we’re looking to get even BIGGER results. And, if you’d like to help us reach that goal, you have options. Read on for everything you need to know about The Great Diaper Drive 2017!
About This Effort
Five years ago, WHNT News 19 and Rocket City Mom learned local babies were going without clean diapers, putting them at increased risk for illness and abuse. The families in need each had a different story. Some were down on their luck, facing a sudden job loss or financial hardship. Others were fleeing domestic violence with next to nothing. We wanted to help, so we joined with community partners to establish The Great Diaper Drive. Since then, the project has grown exponentially, with donations topping 100,000+ diapers and wipes in 2016.
Donations benefit The Diaper Bank at the Food Bank of North Alabama, which works to provide diapers and wipes to partner agencies across 11 area counties, greatly expanding the impact of our annual Diaper Drive.
How To Donate
Donations this year will fill the Diaper Bank’s warehouse shelves and be distributed to local agencies, including Manna House and Crisis Services.
The Great Diaper Drive 2017 runs Monday, Oct. 9 through Thursday, Oct. 19. During that time, you’ll be able to donate new packages of diapers or wipes at Walmart locations across the Tennessee Valley. Locations are still TBD, so watch this space for updates.
Not sure which sizes to purchase? ALL SIZES ARE NEEDED! Overnight diapers and pull-ups for older children are always in especially high demand.
Have Some Fun
One of the most social ways to get involved, is to host your own “Diaper Shower” benefiting The Great Diaper Drive! You can host a shower at the office, home, church… or wherever your friends gather. Need inspiration? Checkout our downloadable invitations, customizable poster, and social media e-vites for Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. You can also go digital with an Amazon collection drive! Click here for all these great ideas.
After the party, save what you’ve collected and bring it to our big “Blitz Day” on Thursday, Oct. 19! We’ll be live all day at the Walmart on Madison Blvd in Madison, AL.
What About Cloth?
Cloth diapers are a terrific option for many parents; reducing environmental impact and providing a tremendous cost-saving potential. Unfortunately, they are not for everyone. Many low-income parents juggle two jobs, limiting the time they can commit to a cloth regimen. Others lack access to a washer-drier or a stable home environment. Perhaps the biggest need though, stems from daycare policies. Many will only accept disposables.
That said, if you’d prefer to give cloth diapers during The Great Diaper Drive, we’d love to have them! All cloth diapers collected for 2017 will be given to the North Alabama Cloth Diaper Bank.