Catholic Charities diaper drive runs until end of May

Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Wilmington is hosting a diocese-wide diaper drive until the end of May to benefit Catholic Charities Bayard House Diaper Bank. Donors can drop off diapers of all sizes, baby hygiene items, and gift cards at all Catholic Charities locations during regular business hours. Donors can also visit Catholic Charities at www.cdow.org/charities to make a donation using a credit card; note Diaper Drive in the comments section.

As one of only three affiliates of the National Diaper Bank Network in Delaware, Catholic Charities supplies diapers to families in need for children under age 3. Each family can get six distributions of diapers per year. Currently, Catholic Charities Diaper Bank supports over 200 families.

"May is a time to show support for mothers, and you can demonstrate your support for the mothers in our diocese struggling to meet one of their child's most basic needs - diapers. One in three American moms struggles to provide their babies with diapers. This is called diaper need, and there's very little help or public resources for it," said Richelle A. Vible, executive director. "By making a diaper donation, you are helping moms in the community provide for their babies' health and happiness. Diapers may seem like a small thing, but diaper need can severely impact a household's ability to remain self-sufficient."

Babies in dirty diapers suffer. Diaper shortages can lead to serious health problems for babies as well as disease outbreaks for communities. A healthy change of diapers costs $100 or more each month. Many parents struggling to pay for rent and food cannot afford the high cost of an adequate supply of diapers for their children. Licensed day care centers require a full day's supply of disposable (not cloth) diapers. Food assistance programs like SNAP or WIC focus solely on food and nutrition, and don't cover diapers. Cloth diapers are also not an option for low-income families. Most do not have affordable access to washing facilities, and coin-operated laundromats do not allow customers to wash cloth diapers for health and sanitary reasons.

Those in need of diapers, or who know of a family that can benefit from the Bayard House Diaper Bank, can call Bayard House at 302-654-1184 to learn more about the program. Families must meet income guidelines and have children of the appropriate age.

Cash donations to Bayard House may qualify organizations and individuals who pay Delaware state income taxes for tax credits. In exchange for a qualified contribution, the Neighborhood Assistance Act program provides state tax credits equal to 50 percent of the investment. For individuals, a qualified donation is $2,500; for businesses, the amount is $10,000. Call Catholic Charities at 302-655-9624 to learn more.

Catholic Charities can accept diaper donations at its locations Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Drop off donations at: Main Office, 2601 W. 4th St., Wilmington, 302-655-9624; Bayard House, 300 Bayard Ave., Wilmington, 302-654-1184; Marydale Retirement Village, 135 Jeandell Drive, Newark, 302-368-2784; Kent County Office, 2099 S. DuPont Highway, Dover, 302-674-1600; Sussex County Office, 406 S. Bedford St., Ste. 9, Georgetown, 302-856-9578; Casa San Francisco, 127 Broad St., Milton, 302-684-8694; Seton Center, 30632 Hampden Ave., Princess Anne, Md., 410-651-9608. Casa San Francisco and Bayard House can accept donations seven days a week; call ahead before making a donation.

Established in 1830 as St. Peter's Orphanage in Wilmington, Catholic Charities' services have grown to include providing care for those facing complex social problems such as chronic poverty, homelessness, hunger, mental illness, substance abuse, HIV/AIDS, and teen pregnancy. The agency serves over 100,000 individuals each year throughout Delaware and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. Go to www.ccwilm.org.