Carrboro highlights Diaper Need Awareness Week

Diapers are a necessity for every child, but they can’t be purchased by low-income people using WIC vouchers or food stamps.

Eighteen percent of children in Carrboro come from low-income families, and the cost of their diapers can cause financial difficulties.

Last week, the town of Carrboro issued a proclamation to highlight Diaper Need Awareness Week.

“The North Carolina Diaper Bank approached the mayor about issuing a proclamation to support their work in the community,” said Damon Seils, member of the Carrboro Board of Aldermen.

Michelle Old, executive director and founder of the Diaper Bank of N.C., said her organization works closely with families in poverty by distributing diapers through organizations that help low-income families.

“The main reason for that is we feel very strongly that if a family is struggling for diapers then they’re struggling with other needs, and we really want them to connect to programs that can help them in other ways such as getting them food, getting them a stroller, getting them a high chair,” Old said.

Troy Moore, spokesperson for the National Diaper Bank Network, said 32 governors, one state legislator and 92 cities and counties — including Carrboro — are recognizing Diaper Need Awareness Week through proclamations.

“We know 5.2 million children under the age of 3 live in poor and low-income families in the United States,” Moore said.

Moore said the lack of diapers can keep families from going to work or furthering their education.

“Diapers are integral to childcare,” Moore said. “If parents are continuing their education or working a full-time job, day cares require that you have a daily supply of diapers. If you don’t have diapers, you don’t have day care. If you don’t have day care, you can’t go to work, you can’t go school.”

Old said 78 percent of clients that receive diapers through the Diaper Bank of N.C. are working between one to three jobs. She said many families have to choose between buying food or diapers.

“Every time they’re going to pick food because when you’re talking about feeding your children, you’re going to make the diapers last a little bit longer than you probably should,” Old said.

Old said the bank receives calls from clients of various backgrounds.

“We get calls all the time from teachers that cannot afford diapers, and we get calls all the time from military families where one spouse is fighting for our country and the other one is at home on WIC and food stamps and they cannot afford diapers,” Old said.

Diaper Need Awareness Week will run from Sept. 26 to Oct. 2.

@laurentalley13

city@dailytarheel.com