Help for Kids sets up donation boxes in Stamford to collect diapers for families in need
(Ad) A Stamford-based nonprofit is fulfilling its promise to support families experiencing diaper insecurity in Fairfield County.
Last year, Help for Kids began distributing diapers on behalf of Stamford Health and The Diaper Bank of Connecticut. The partnership came amid inflation and affordability woes, which have affected the families it serves.
Background
Help for Kids was founded in 1989 as an Exchange Club Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse. The center is currently providing services to more than 100 pre and postnatal mothers through its program Healthy Families America, which works “hand in hand” with the diaper distribution program, Executive Director Joe Dudek said.
“As we have grown Healthy Families America, we saw a need to offer free diapers not just to our clients, but to anyone in the community,” he added. “The last thing mothers should worry about is affording diapers for their children.”
The diaper drive
To ensure these worries are kept at bay, Help for Kids has set up donation boxes at the following locations in Stamford:
• Help for Kids headquarters, 141 Franklin St. Operating hours: Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Stamford Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd. Operating hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Westy Self Storage, 80 Brown House Road. Operating hours: Monday
through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• NAGI Jewelers, 828 High Ridge Road. Operating hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Dudek said more donation locations will be set up throughout Fairfield County in the coming months. The nonprofit is also in the process of planning diaper distribution events during the month of April to coincide with National Child Abuse Prevention Month. These events will take place with related partners, including Child Advocates of Connecticut, the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, and local mental health care providers.
Since diaper insecurity can be a source of stress, the distribution program helps prevent potential instances of child abuse and/ or neglect from occurring by getting diapers into the hands of families who need them, Dudek said.
“Through the Office of Early Childhood initiative, we’re able to provide diapers to the mothers we serve without them having
to travel to get them, and they have the security of knowing they’ll always have diapers for their children,” he added.
The diapers from The Diaper Bank of Connecticut support federally-approved families who fall within these guidelines. Through these programs, Help for Kids is now distributing diapers to any family along with the ones they serve on behalf of the Office of Early Childhood and Stamford Health.
“Our goal is to provide diapers to any family needing additional support for their infants and toddlers,” Dudek said.
Get involved
Dudek directed interested persons to sign up for Help for Kids’ newsletter to stay in the know about upcoming events. The center is currently seeking volunteers to distribute and collect diapers within their communities.
To sign up, call 203327-9419, email diapers@ helpforkidsct.org, or visit helpforkidsct.org.