May 17, 2023
A clean comfort
Around Town
COMMUNITY VOICES By Art McCoy. Pg. 2
Features (FLIP)
Recipe, Movie & Sudoku. Pg. F-1 CLASSIFIEDS AND HOME & GARDEN. Pg. F-2 /F-3 Moore On Life, Lifestyle & Crossword Puzzle. Pg. F-4
Weather
Volunteers work to pack and distribute diapers and period supplies to those in need through the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank.
Submitted photo
FRIDAY Cloudy 81/58
The St. Louis Area Diaper Bank works to distribute diapers and period supplies to low-income populations across the region
SATURDAY Partly Cloudy 77/55
By Wendy Todd
SUNDAY Sunny 77/55
The annual cost to diaper a child is about $1,000 and period supplies cost nearly $500 each year. There are currently no public benefit programs to cover these costs for those who cannot afford the expenses. That’s where the St. Louis Diaper Bank steps in, supplying mothers and caregivers diapers and period supplies for those in need. The high cost of diapers and period supplies is a challenge for low-income populations and those in poverty, yet the items remain as essential needs in terms of health
and personal dignity. For families that cannot regularly afford diapers, the alternatives pose hygiene and health risks. “One in three families are routinely unable to afford diapers, leaving them with little option but to reuse diapers by lining them with newspapers, scraping them “clean” or repairing them with duct tape,” said St. Louis Area Diaper Bank executive director, Muriel Smith. “Infants require up to 12 diapers a day and toddlers need about eight. Disposable diapers cost between $70 to $80 per month for each child. Many low-income families frequently choose between buying
diapers, putting food on the table, paying the rent or keeping utilities on. “Many of these families also lack the transportation to go to big box stores and buy in bulk and must instead rely on more expensive small, local convenience stores. As a result, many low-income families spend a larger percentage of their income on diapers than wealthier families.” According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, in 2015, almost half of U.S. families with one or more babies of See ‘CLEAN’ page 2
Serving North & Northwest St. Louis County | FREE Online at mycnews.com | Vol. 102 No. 20 | 636-379-1775
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