Today’s article on a pair of Wilton friends who have started a diaper collection on their own to help people who can’t afford to buy them is the latest in GOOD Morning Wilton’s “Season of Giving” series. We hope you’ll consider helping them out.
Two long-time Wilton residents have started a diaper collection drive and they’re hoping their fellow Wiltonites will chip in to help them meet an important need for families that can’t afford even the basic necessities. Growing out of their friendship and mutual dedication to giving back to the community, Genia Meinhold and Jane Alexander started this grassroots effort when they learned that families who receive aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can’t use that to pay for diapers or wipes.
“I was flabbergasted. I had no idea that the food stamp program didn’t cover diapers,” Meinhold said. “Think of it. The thing that really got me was that people reuse a diaper. Remember when your kids had diaper rash, how bad it was? These kids get horrible, horrible infections, and they have no choice. It’s heartbreaking. And you can’t wash cloth diapers at a laundromat and most people don’t have washers at their houses.It eliminates daycare, because they can’t use cloth diapers, and daycare requires disposable diapers.”
Alexander added, “If you can’t afford to buy diapers, you can’t send your child to daycare, you can’t work. It’s a vicious cycle. What do you choose? Diapers? Food? Medicine? They’re caught.”
Meinhold and Alexander are coordinating their donations through three local agencies that can help get the supplies directly to those that have the greatest need: the Community Action Committee of Danbury (CADC); Person-to-Person in Norwalk and Darien; and the Domestic Violence Crisis Center in Stamford and Norwalk.
They’re asking their fellow Wilton residents to help with donations of diapers and diaper wipes. All sizes of diapers, from newborn through the larger sizes, including pull-ups, are needed.
Alexander shared a spreadsheet from the Community Action Committee of Danbury, showing the monthly number of families and children who are beneficiaries of free diapers. In July, 115 children were served; in august, 47 children; and in September, 71 children. The numbers are a bit deceiving, because they don’t reflect how much need there really is, but rather the limited number of diapers that were available to give away.
“At a certain point when they run out of diapers they just have to turn people away,” Meinhold explained.
There are sad stories the women have heard and retell.
“The situation can be so desperate for a family that can’t afford the cost of diapers, some agencies that deal with people living in poverty in our area will tell of families going into big stores like WalMart, and it’s too big to steal a big box, or bag, so they’ll slice open the bag and take out just a few diapers to get by,” Meinhold said, adding, “If people could spend their [food stamp] money on diapers, they’re so expensive it would eat into their food stamps anyway.”
Alexander pointed out that some needy situations are a matter of life and death, and a basic need for families can be a small, but crucial comfort. “At the Domestic Violence Crisis Center, you have people who are leaving abusive relationships, which many times means leaving the money behind, but saving yourself and saving your children. They told us, ‘We always need diapers.’ It’s just so sad.”
The women have set up two main collection points at their respective religious organizations–the Wilton Congregational Church at 70 Ridgefield Rd. and Temple B’nai Chaim at 82 Portland Ave. in Georgetown. They’re also scheduling collections around town throughout the holidays and extending into 2014. “The Wilton Y will help us out for a week in January,” said Alexander. Meinhold added, “I’m talking to the Wilton Woman’s Club, they have a student group, and I’m hoping they’ll take it on and do a collection at the high school.” They’ll also likely plan some days collecting outside the Village Market, when the weather turns warmer in the spring.
The two friends are brimming with creative ideas for ways everyone can take part, especially with so many festive occasions around the holidays. Having a coffee? a dinner party? some other get-together? Book groups or Bunco groups? Ask your guests to each bring a package of diapers and wipes. “I did this a few years ago, I did this with a Ladies’ Night at my house. On the invites I wrote, ‘I don’t need more ‘stuff’ in my house, I need less, so please bring diapers and wipes.’” Alexander said. “People were great, and that’s what they brought.”
The diaper drive will continue to be an ongoing project, because it’s a need that never goes away. “Our plan is to keep it going. We’ll just find places in town that will take part.” Any stores or businesses in town that want to be part of it will be welcomed, as will help from individuals or small private groups who want to put together some sort of donation effort.
The women welcome help from ANY Wilton organizations, individuals, volunteer groups–you name it, they’re sure anyone can help. On the list of groups they hope might consider collecting diapers and wipes for the drive–Wilton Kiwanis, Wilton Rotary, the Wilton Chamber of Commerce. “We know people want to help,” Alexander said. “For the most part people have that same reaction we did about the food stamps and buying diapers: ‘you can’t??’”
Meinhold said they want to make it easy for people. “We’ll come pick up diapers, we’ll get the diapers where they need to be delivered.”
It’s no surprise the two-some are working so well together, committed to helping others who are less fortunate. The two women are close enough friends that they finish one another’s sentences, and laugh together easily about owning the same earrings and worrying about whether the other would wear them for a scheduled photo and interview session. “We’ve known each other a long time!” they laugh. “We’ve known each other since our kids were babies and now they’re 22, heading towards 23.”
They met in a Wilton Newcomer’s Club “Moms and Tots” group 22 years ago. “We’ve been friends ever since. We’ve traveled together, we’ve done stuff together, the kids are friends. It’s been forever,” they laughed. “And we think alike, we like the same things,” especially when it comes to social action and community involvement.
The idea sparked when they both found themselves with an opening in their busy civic action schedules. “We were both on the Wilton Playshop board, and that ended for both of us at the same time,” Alexander recounted. “I knew I wanted to get the diaper drive going and I thought, ‘I’m going to ask Genia!’”
“I swore I was going to get off something and not take on anything new, but it never works out that way. There’s always something else to do!” Meinhold added, with a laugh.
Good thing these friends don’t know how not to help others. There will be several families who benefit from their philanthropic ingenuity, especially when the Wilton community steps up to help out.
To contact the organizers about donating or helping in other ways, email either Genia Meinhold at meinhold@optonline.net or Jane Alexander at Jane@NODHILL.net.