Mayor’s office collects diapers
Drive to benefit Catholic Charities
LEOMINSTER » The mayor’s office announced a new community outreach program in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Thursday.
The idea is that every year Mayor Dean Mazzarella and city hall staff will seek donations for a local charity whose community activities and involvement embody the spirit of Dr. King’s service to humanity. This year the mayor chose Catholic Charities’ Worcester County Mechanic Street location diaper bank as the recipient.
“We wanted to do something meaningful for Martin Luther King Day, something to help our community,” Mazzarella said. “I know Catholic Charities has a wonderful program, and their diaper supply is getting a little low. We want to see if we can fill it up.”
According to Catholic Charities, many local families struggle to pay for necessities including food, rent, utilities and transportation, which has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.
As a result, 1 in 3 families cannot afford diapers, which are not covered by the Women, Infants and Children ( WIC) program or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Diaper pantry participants are eligible to receive 30 diapers once a month for newborns up to potty trained children. Catholic Charities Area Administrator Maritza Cedeño said infants use about 12 diapers per day and toddlers usually between 8-10.
“Many low income families cannot afford to purchase a sufficient amount of diapers for their children,” she said. “Without a daily supply of disposable diapers, children cannot attend day care, which results in parents not being able to work or attend school.”
Cedeño said an inadequate supply of diapers can lead to children not being changed as often as needed, which can lead
to diaper rashes and urinary tract infections.
About 35 families utilize the Catholic Charities diaper pantry each month, which means they give out on average 1,050 diapers a month.
“Families are very grateful that we have the diaper pantry, especially now with the pandemic,” Cedeño said.
Cedeño said Catholic Charities is thankful for the diaper collection, which in turn enables them to help more families.
Mazzarella said the need for community programs such as the diaper drive is greater than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I cannot believe how expensive it is for a family to go through the grocery store,” he said. “You don’t have to go through that many aisles to get to $100.”
Mazzarella said if people have diapers on hand that their kids have grown out of or if grandparents have extra, he hopes they will consider donating some to the cause. Someone who wishes to remain anonymous recently dropped of a truck load of diapers.
“This pandemic has been difficult,” Mazzarella said. “So many people have been affected by it. We will be collecting for as long as people are willing to donate.”
To donate diapers or a monetary donation stop by the Office of Mayor Dean Mazzarella at City Hall, 25 West St., Leominster, during regular business hours. For more information, call 978-534-7500, ext. 0.