West Plains, MO. – West Plains Mayor Mike Topliff and members of the Howell County Commission will join members of the Diaper Resource Center (DRC) to proclaim September 18-24, 2023 as National Diaper Need Awareness Week in Howell County and the City of West Plains. An initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), the week designation was created to mobilize efforts to help make a difference in the lives of the nearly 5.3 million babies in the U.S. aged three or younger who live in poor or low-income families. Locally, the Diaper Resource Center – West Plains and distributing agencies join in that effort.
What is Diaper Need? One in three families struggle to provide enough diapers each day to keep their babies clean and dry. The situation has led to what has become known as “diaper need.” There are currently no federal or state programs that assist with the purchase of diapers. There are many circumstances that can create diaper need, and whatever those circumstances are, they don’t erase the fact that babies need clean and dry bottoms to stay healthy and happy.
Diaper banks such as DRC, function as storehouses for diapers like food banks do for food. Diaper banks rely on members of the community, churches, and other organizations to hold diaper drives and diaper showers, and for individuals and businesses to provide monetary and in-kind donations to sustain their supply.
The Diaper Resource Center was organized in early 2015 with the mission: “To furnish local distributing agencies with diapers for at-risk, early childhood youth to enhance the families’ resources and improve their well-being.” DRC receives some support as a partner agency of Diaper Bank of the Ozarks. In eight years of operation, more than 330,000 disposable diapers have been donated by DRC to agencies for distribution to area families, with additional cloth diaper starter kits made available. Current distributing agencies include His Place House of Worship Diaper Ministry, Martha Vance Samaritan Outreach Center, and Christos House. Select clients are also served through the Howell County Health Department, 37th Division Children’s Services, Ozark Action Early Head Start, Pregnancy Resource Center, and the Chaos Closet. Individuals with needs should contact those agencies directly with inquiries.
The cloth diaper loan program, begun in 2016, expands the efforts of the group. Starter kits are distributed to Howell County families. If interested, please phone Dawn Hicks at the Howell County Health Department (417-256-7078).
Donations of disposable diapers can be dropped off at Ozark Action Inc. (OAI), 710 E. Main St., West Plains, MO 65775. OAI provides DRC with warehouse space for diapers. Diapers can be left at OAI, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays, all year long. DRC is a registered 501(c)3 agency, allowing for financial contributions to be tax-deductible
Area churches, businesses, organizations, or individuals who wish to contribute toward addressing diaper need in our area may inquire at diaperresourcecenter@gmail.com, by phone to 417-256-6147, or by mail at P O Box 1773, West Plains, MO 65775. Presentations are available for groups on request. Check our Facebook page under Diaper-Resource-Center-West-Plains for updates. Any Howell County group wishing to apply as a distributing agency should email or phone for an application.
