Anything but pampered

Diaper group wants to help even more people

2016 Stuff Santa's Sleigh Diaper Drive
2016 Stuff Santa's Sleigh Diaper Drive

Local efforts to help low-income families in need of diapers are looking to expand their reach.

Diapers for Jefferson City will host two focus groups seeking public input - at 6 p.m. today and again at 11 a.m. Thursday - both at Southwest Early Childhood Center.

In Cole County, 32.7 percent of children under age 6 live in poverty, compared to 24.7 percent statewide, according to 2016 data from Missouri Kids Count Data Book.

With poverty as high as it is among families with young children, it is no shock families may sacrifice diapers for meals.

Since 2015, Diapers for Jefferson City has held its annual Diaper Bank Drive in December, enabling them to donate diapers to families in need throughout the community.

Katie Epema, co-founder of Diapers for Jefferson City, said diapers can cost parents an average of $70-$80 a month, which is not an option for some families.

Currently, the diaper drive is using the Parents as Teachers program as a vehicle to get word out about diaper donations. Parents as Teachers is an educational support group for parents who are expecting up until the kid reaches kindergarten.

"In some instances, there is a correlation of diaper need and child abuse/neglect," Epema said.

She said a lack of diapers can lead to a child being forced to be potty trained, which may lead to abuse. Epema also noted if a child stays in a dirty diaper for an extended period of time, the child may have rashes, urinary tract infections and other health concerns.

The initial drive in 2015 helped the organization gain 7,500 diapers to be donated to families throughout the community. In the 2016 "Stuff Santa's Sleigh" Diaper Drive, the community donated over 9,000 diapers.

"This may seem like a lot of diapers, but the reality is that a newborn can go through eight to 12 diapers a day, which translates to about 750 diapers and can be an issue if multiple children in the household are still wearing diapers," Epema said.

The upcoming focus groups will allow community members to provide some insight on how the diaper drive can grow in the future and expand its reach. The focus groups will be held at the Southwest Early Childhood Center, 812 St. Mary's Blvd.

"Our hope is that people come out to provide ideas, learn about the need for free diaper resources, and to gain more individual and business support," Epema said. "At the moment we are volunteer-based, and in the future we would like to form a board and eventually apply for a 501(c)3 status as a nonprofit organization."