Contact: Lauren DePaola, ACPMHC
ACPMHC@gmail.com 352.888.4932
www.acpmhc.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PRESS RELEASE AUGUST 1, 2017
Local Nonprofit Creates a Diaper Bank
PRESS RELEASE: 1 in 3 families in Alachua County have to choose between diapers or food.
Gainesville, FL, August 1, 2017 – With at least 1 in 3 families in Alachua County struggling to provide babies and toddlers with a daily supply of clean, dry diapers and direct correlations to the mental health of these parents, the Alachua County Perinatal Mental Health Coalition (ACPMHC) has launched the first ever diaper bank in North Central Florida; A.B.C. All Bottoms Covered Diaper Bank. On August 1st, the ACPMHC announced the new initiative that is being supported by collaborative partnerships with well-established community organizations such as the Child Advocacy Center of Gainesville.
Diapers are a basic need for babies that are not covered by food stamps or safety net programs like WIC. On average, babies need 10-12 diapers a day, at a cost of more than $100 per month. Infants left in wet diapers all day can develop serious health conditions. Babies cannot attend daycare without a day’s supply of diapers. Parents often cannot return to work or school without childcare. “Research reveals strong correlations for adverse health outcomes of parents who are unable to provide for their child’s basic needs, including postpartum depression and related mental illnesses,” says Lauren DePaola, Executive Director of the ACPMHC. Additional correlations include adverse outcomes for children including neglect and abuse.
The A.B.C. Diaper Bank will set out to serve at least 300 families in Alachua County in their first year. To accomplish this, collaborative partnerships with existing social service agencies are being formed. Corporate sponsorships are also being sought, in addition to private donors. Unused diapers of any size are welcomed as well as monetary donations that will be used to purchase diapers at a greatly discounted rate.
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