Babies are in need, and you can help!
Is there anything more uplifting than a happy baby?
We wouldn't think twice about donating to help feed a hungry baby in our community. Now imagine a Fox Cities mother taking a soiled diaper off her baby, trying to clean it and putting it back on because she doesn't have money to buy a new one.
Sadly, a study from the medical journal Pediatrics found that mothers suffer more stress and mental health problems from not providing clean diapers for their babies than from not providing food. It makes sense. As parents, we know newborns need to be changed eight to 12 times a day, and parents can forgo food themselves to feed their babies, but there's no substitute for a clean diaper.
Dollars for Diapers is one of Post-Crescent Media's signature campaigns, and we're putting our money where our mouth is before it wraps up Sunday. We will chip in a new $5,000 matching grant to help us all reach this ambitious goal —– the highest one in the campaign's history.
The Fox Cities Diaper Bank makes a huge difference. Mothers who use disposable diapers are more likely to take GED and parenting classes, according to Pediatrics. A staggering 30 percent of mothers report a need for diapers. Safety net programs, such as food stamps or WIC, don't cover the cost of diapers.
But why not cloth diapers? Aren't they reusable?
Cloth diapers are great, but they're not a solution. For those who think we're throwing away money on a disposable product, disposable diapers allow parents to work because day care centers don't allow cloth diapers, and neither do laundromats.
With your help, young parents and their babies will live better, healthier lives here in the Fox Cities. And what's better than a happy baby?
Pam Henson, Gannett Wisconsin Media regional president and Post-Crescent publisher
Joel Christopher, Gannett Wisconsin Media vice president of news
How to help
Our Dollars for Diapers campaign ends Sunday, Father's Day. The goal is $60,000 and we've already raised $49,132, including grants from our generous partners. The Post-Crescent is offering a new $5,000 matching grant to help us reach the goal.
Donations to Dollars for Diapers, presented by Kimberly-Clark Cares and Huggies, can be made at cffoxvalley.org. Checks to The Post-Crescent Community Fund should be mailed to The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, 4455 W. Lawrence St., Appleton, WI 54914.
Your donations will be matched by our generous partners. J.J. Keller Foundation, United Way Fox Cities, Thrivent Financial, Kimberly-Clark and U.S. Venture will each match up to $5,000. Together, Fox Communities, Prospera, Evergreen, Badger Globe, Thrivent Financial, Unison and St. Elizabeth Employees credit unions will match up to $10,000.
Packs of diapers, sealed or open, can be dropped off at The Post-Crescent, 306 W. Washington St., Appleton. Other collection sites are Badger Globe, Evergreen, Fox Communities, Prospera and St. Elizabeth Employees credit unions.
Donations make great Father's Day gifts! Give online in honor of the men in your life and we'll name them in a thank you ad.