MADISON — The annual Blessed Sacrament Diaper Drive is scheduled for this month, and it could be the most successful drive yet.
The diaper drive has been an important part of my life for the past three years.
Each year, my mother and I co-coordinate the month-long drive in mid-January benefiting Pregnancy Helpline, which is a non-profit organization that serves Madison-area families requiring assistance with pregnancy or infant related needs.
Blessed Sacrament ‘Baby Shower’ Diaper Drive • Now through Sunday, Feb. 14. |
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Through the stunning generosity of both parishioners and school families, Blessed Sacrament Parish has been able to donate between 15,000-20,000 diapers per drive.
This sounds like a giant number, but when you consider that Pregnancy Helpline goes through around 11,500 diapers a month, this is barely scratching the surface of what they need.
Both my mom and I are unified under a common belief that expectant mothers, as well as families with young children, should have access to diapers.
Diaper expenses
Buying disposable diapers is one of the biggest expenses involved in raising a baby.
Most families have to continue to buy these diapers for about three years.
On average, families have to spend $70 to 80 dollars a month on diapers, which comes to about $900 per year.
This is a significant expense and can take up a large portion of a family budget.
In fact, one in three families struggle to buy diapers.
The ability to obtain donated diapers gives families on a limited budget more money to spend on food, clothing, rent, and other necessities.
More importantly, having access to disposable diapers allows them to work, because many daycares will only take children if they have a day’s supply of diapers from the parents.
Also, babies cannot participate in early education without disposable diapers, which is important since children involved in these programs are 2.5 times more likely to go on to higher education.
By providing diapers, organizations like Pregnancy Helpline are giving families a hand up and a way forward.
We may never fully understand the impact of the assistance provided to these families, but Pregnancy Helpline has stated that grateful families have expressed desire to come back and help other families in need.
Reaching out
I reached out to four people whose opinions I value in order to learn more about why someone should support Pregnancy Helpline.
First, I contacted my parish priest, Fr. Andy McAlpin.
He responded saying, “Our love of God and His people makes us sensitive to their needs, both obvious and not so obvious . . . One way we serve our littlest brothers and sisters is to make sure they always have diapers available.”
Father McAlpin shares this truth with the people of the parish.
Blessed Sacrament has always had a focus on service.
I’m pleased that the parish continues to support Pregnancy Helpline and its clients.
The second person I reached out to was Mr. [Steve] Castrogiovanni, Blessed Sacrament School’s principal.
I remember all the service that I did in my grade school years.
These opportunities often had a competitive twist that made them interesting and engaging, yet I wondered what the true purpose was.
He enlightened me about the objective, “It is through service that we all find common ground and truly understand the unfailing love of God. As a Catholic school principal, I know that it is my job to instill in our students a sense of purpose and service to those in the world that need it . . . We provide students with opportunities to be selfless and to foster empathy and sympathy for the world.”
The third person I approached is a fierce advocate of the marginalized and a supporter of the diaper drive.
Mrs. Susannah Herro, a parishioner and lawyer who helped incorporate Pregnancy Helpline, conferred with me about why she supports this organization.
“A law degree opened many doors for me, so I have served on the boards of many nonprofits seeking to make our world a better place . . . What I’ve learned in all these roles is that people need food, shelter, medical care, and need to be respected as human beings who are worthy of love . . . We are called by our faith to readily share what we have . . . As Catholics, we don’t help others because they are Catholic, but because we are. We serve because the need is there.”
Finally, I inquired what motivates Madison’s Pregnancy Helpline Executive Director, Ms. Brenda Collins.
She knows firsthand how challenging it is to raise a child, especially an unexpected one.
“I am a mother of two and both of my pregnancies were unexpected. I was fortunate to have a wonderful support system. A lot of families don’t have that, so I have a passion to help others the way I was helped when I needed it.”
She went on to say, “It is so much more than ‘just a diaper’, by providing families with these basic needs, we are providing them with the tools to help keep their babies healthy, an opportunity to leave their children at daycare so they can go to work, and peace of mind so that they can focus on caring for their babies.”
By committing to collaborate with organizations like Pregnancy Helpline, we can create change in Madison.
This is the ideal opportunity to show love, understanding, and support to people in a challenging situation.
I hope others join me in supporting Pregnancy Helpline, especially during Respect Life Month.
Erek Gilbertson is a senior at Edgewood High School in Madison.