TEAM to hold workshops during Diaper Need Awareness Week

DERBY - This Monday marks the start of Diaper Need Awareness Week, organized by the National Diaper Network.

Though diapers are a basic need for every child in their first years and are essential to the health and well-being of the child, safety net programs that provide assistance to low-income families such as SNAP (food stamps) and WIC do not cover the purchase of diapers.

Infants and toddlers use between eight and 12 diapers per day, at a cost of $70-$80 per month. 

Unable to afford a constant supply of fresh diapers, parents may frequently leave their baby in a soiled diaper for long periods of time, leading to rashes, infections, and other health problems. 

Desperate parents may occasionally resort to drying out soiled diapers for reuse. 

A Yale University study found that about 30 percent of low-income parents can’t afford to change their children’s diapers as often as they should be changed.

“Diaper need is a major problem for so many families in our state, affecting not just the health of children, but the economic prospects for parents forced to miss work because they can’t send children to daycare without a proper supply of diapers,” says TEAM President/CEO David Morgan.

Without a sufficient supply of disposable diapers, children are not able to enter child care and parents may not be able to return to work or school, leading to economic instability and continuing the cycle of poverty.

To address the needs of families in the Valley, TEAM Diaper Bank provides monthly diapers and wipes to more than 200 eligible families residing in Ansonia, Derby, Oxford, Seymour, and Shelton. 

As part of Diaper Need Awareness Week, TEAM Diaper Bank will be hosting two workshops providing diapering and potty training support for all families with young children in the community. 

The public is invited to register for the workshops, scheduled from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Monday at Irving School, 9 Garden Place, or from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday at TEAM Early Education Center, 80 Howard Ave., Ansonia.

For further information about TEAM Diaper Bank or to donate, contact Ayanna Williams at awilliams@teaminc.org or 203-736-5420 ext. 204.

This is a press release from TEAM Inc., a private, 501c (3) non-profit corporation whose mission is to connect individuals and families with solutions that lead to well-being, self-sufficiency and full participation in the community. 

It aims to achieve its mission by conducting activities that address the needs of economically disadvantaged individuals and families including resource mobilization, education, advocacy and service delivery. TEAM programs serve the communities of Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Derby, Milford, Orange, Oxford, Shelton, Seymour and Woodbridge.