ULLIN – National Diaper Need Awareness Week is Sept. 15 through 21.
To help draw attention to this unmet need in the lower seven counties in Illinois, Southern 7 Health Department will hold several “Bundles of Joy” diaper drives throughout its service region this September.
Donations will support families served through the department’s Head Start and WIC programs.
Donations will be accepted on the following dates at these locations:
- Sept. 2–30 Edward Jones, Anna (1000 Leigh Ave., Suite C)
- Sept. 3–5 Dollar General Store, Cairo (Near the Interstate)
- Sept. 8–10 Dollar General Store, Rosiclare
- Sept. 10–12 Dollar General Store, Golconda
- Sept. 15–17 Dollar General Store, Vienna
- Sept. 17–19 Big John’s Super Store, Metropolis
- Sept. 22–24 Dollar General Store, Karnak
- Sept. 24–27 Kroger, Anna
- Sept. 29– Oct. 1 Dollar General Store, Cobden
In addition to diapers, monetary donations to purchase diapers will be accepted at each diaper drive location except Edward Jones in Anna.
If you’re unable to visit the diaper drive in your area, donations can also be delivered to the Southern 7 Public Health Clinics and Head Start sites in Alexander, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, and Union counties through the end of September.
“It’s not news that the families in our region are struggling,” said Shawnna Rhine, Community Outreach Coordinator. “These diapers will help ease the expense burden for so many families, while keeping their children happy and healthy.”
Clean diapers are a basic need of every baby and toddler, and are a growing problem in the United States. According to new data from the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 2 U.S. families can’t afford enough diapers to keep their infant or child clean, dry, and healthy. As a result these babies are more vulnerable to painful rashes, urinary tract infections, toxic stress, and more trips to the doctor.
The American Academy of Pediatrics reported that on average newborns need 10 to 12 diapers per day, or 300 for the first month of life, with an average cost of $90 per month. The average child will use about 7,100 diapers before being potty trained with a cost of $78 to $90 per month, and the total average cost per year of $936. Such added expenses are often difficult for the families served through Southern 7.
This is the second year for the “Bundles of Joy” diaper drives. In 2024, over 8,900 diapers were collected along with various baby cleaning essentials and nearly $1,000 to purchase more diapers.
Head Start is a comprehensive child development program, funded by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and serves families with young children age birth to five. Services include the areas of education, school readiness, social service, health and family involvement. Southern 7 offers Head Start, Early Head Start, and Migrant and Seasonal Head Start for income eligible families that live in the lower seven counties in Illinois.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Supplemental Nutrition Program is a federally funded program through the U.S. Department of Agriculture that provides federal grants to states to safeguard the health of low-income women, infants, and children up to age 5 who are at nutrition risk by providing nutritious foods to supplement diets, information on healthy eating, and referrals to health care. WIC is available at each Southern 7 Public Health Clinic.
For details on the “Bundles of Joy” diaper drives, contact Shawnna at 618-634-2297 ext. 971161 or visit Southern 7 on Facebook and Instagram.
