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First, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who showed up to the Great Diaper Drive concert! The crowd was unbelievable and through ticket purchases, raised $7,200! Stand Up Live Huntsville graciously donated all the ticket money to the cause. Jon Pardi, Morgan Wallen, and Hardy, put on an excellent show which had the crowd singing along all night!
Keep scrolling for videos and more details on the Great Diaper Drive Blitz day coming up this Thursday at the Wal-Mart on Madison Boulevard.
Join us October 18th at the Walmart Supercenter on Madison Blvd. We’ll be there throughout the day starting at 5:00 a.m. We’ll be there accepting your donations until 7:00 p.m. Team members from iHeartRadio's 102.1 WDRM and WHNT 19 news will be on hand accepting donations.
Can't make it out for Blitz Day? Here are some other drop off locations accepting diaper and wipe donations that will be delivered to the Food Bank of North Alabama. They will be accepting donations October 8-19:
The following are the cities with Walmart stores that are accepting donations for us:
- All Huntsville Supercenter and Neighborhood Market Walmart locations
- Hazel Green
- Arab
- Fort Payne
- Guntersville
- Scottsboro
- Decatur Supercenter
- Both Florence Supercenters
- Madison location on Madison Blvd.
Two Covenant Classical Preschool & Daycare locations are also accepting donations:
- Jones Valley
- Research Park
This effort is in partnership with Rocket City Mom, the Food Bank of North Alabama and iHeartMedia. The 2018 Great Diaper Drive is sponsored by Crestwood Maternity Center.
Most in our community are one or two paychecks away from financial dire straits. Many parents struggle to afford diapers. They’re forced to choose between food, medicine, rent, light bill, gas to get to work or diapers.
What’s happening? Babies stay in dirty diapers longer, parents recycle dirty diapers, or create makeshift diapers using stuff around the house including rags/tissue and grocery bags. All this leads to health issues, neglect and increases a baby’s chances for physical abuse.
- Nearly 1 in 3 low-income families struggle to afford enough diapers.
- Low income families spend twice as much on diapers as families that have access to bulk buying options.
- There’s no federal assistance for purchasing diapers. This includes older special needs kids. Diapers are considered a luxury item.
- The majority of daycares don’t accept cloth diapers. If a baby doesn’t go to daycare, parents can’t go to work.
The Great Diaper Drive was created to help babies in our community. This year marks number five. In 2016 we achieved a major milestone - establishing a diaper bank through The Food Bank of North Alabama.
This year we’re encouraging people to host a diaper shower with their favorite group of people, then donate the diapers. Businesses, individuals, friends and family come together and donate. We accept disposable diapers, cloth diapers, wipes and monetary donations. The cloth diapers are donated to the cloth diaper bank.
Showers for the Great Diaper Drive are going on now.
So why not cloth diapers? Many of our beneficiaries are in transition housing, shelters or don’t have washers and dryers. All most all of the daycares servicing this community don’t accept cloth diapers. Bottom line it’s more stress on a family already coming apart at the seams.
Last but not least - Diapers and wipes collected stay in the Tennessee Valley.
The Great Diaper Drive is supported by WHNT News 19, Rocket City Mom and iHeartMedia.