CAIRO, Ill. — The Southern 7 Health Department this week hosted its first “Bundles of Joy” Diaper Drive to collect diapers in towns across the region. On Thursday, a small team set up a booth outside of a Dollar General in Cairo to collect diapers and offer educational resources for families.
Those diapers will go to Southern 7’s Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition and Head Start programs.
Babies and toddlers need eight to 12 diapers daily, according to Southern 7.
Babies and toddlers need eight to 12 diapers daily, according to Southern 7. That expense can add up quickly for struggling families, especially as inflation has driven up prices across the board — including the cost of the diapers themselves.
Families that are barely making ends meet may be tempted to reuse diapers — but that can create other problems.
“It’s important to make sure that those kids are in clean diapers as much as possible,” said Community Outreach Coordinator for Southern 7 Health Department Shawnna Rhine.
Rhine said the diaper drive is just another way to create a well-rounded program to develop “happy and healthy children.”
According to Rhine, using fresh diapers helps to reduce the chances of urinary tract infections, diaper rash, and other issues.
Rhine said the drive was off to a slow start this week, but that’s to be expected with the launch of a new program.
The Head Start program serves kids under the age of 5, with sites operating in each of the southern seven counties in Illinois. The program provides healthy meals and snacks; mental health services; and health, dental, and developmental screenings, among other services.
Southern 7 Health Department is looking for diapers sized Newborn to 6.
Rhine said the diaper drive is just another way to create a well-rounded program to develop “happy and healthy children.”
Alongside collecting diapers, Southern 7 will also use booths as a chance to educate the public on both the work that they do — and the resources available to the community.
Rhine stressed that a public health department exists for everyone, regardless of income level, and its work benefits everyone.
“Having children that are happy and healthy and feel safe and secure is important for all of us,” said Rhine. “When it comes to public health, we want people to realize that every aspect of public health effects everyone.”
That can be as large scale as a pandemic, but it can also be much smaller and more intimate, as with the diapers. Rhine likes to to say when health issues arrive, “we’re your first line of defense.”
That means providing a range of services to meet the needs of a quickly changing world.
September is National Diaper Awareness Month. Southern 7 Health Department is looking for diapers sized Newborn to 6, and they accept both diapers and monetary donations.
Over the course of September, donation sites will be available:
- 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6, at the Turner Lane Dollar General in Cairo.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, at the Dollar General in Rosiclare.
- 2 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Dollar General in Golconda.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12; and 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 13, at the Dollar General in Cobden.
- 2 to 6 p.m. Friday, Sept. 20; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, at the Dollar General and Family Dollar in Vienna.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 23; and 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 24, at Big John Grocery in Metropolis.
- 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 26, at Edward Jones in Anna, 1000 Leigh Avenue.
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 27; and 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at Kroger in Anna.
Alongside those donation sites, donations can also be made at each Southern 7 Public Health Clinic and Head Start site through September.
For any questions about Southern 7 Health Department’s services, call 618-634-2297.
