Good Afternoon Lehigh Valley!
We have been actively working to sort through all the generous donations we received over the weekend. They still continue to come it! 30,000 Diapers and counting!
Everything has been incredible so far and looks incredibly promising for the Lehigh Valley Diaper Bank.
As we started this initiative, we did so keeping in mind that we could not do this without community support. That being said, we wanted to be transparent and clear as we possibly can. Some of the most common questions we have been asked have been:
- Can we donate open packs of diapers?
- YES! Every diaper counts.
As long as the diapers are clean, dry, and safe, we will gladly accept open packs of diapers. We realize many times parents purchase a pack of diapers only for the child to outgrow the size a few days later. They are stuck between throwing the diapers away or finding someone who needs that exact size. We can very much find those who need them efficiently. We do ask that you try to cover them as much as possible to keep them dry and clean. If they are in an open pack, please try to put them in a plastic bag and tape it so the diapers remain clean and dry.
- YES! Every diaper counts.
- We missed the event on Sunday, can we still donate?
- This is also a YES! But it is slightly more complicated than that.
- This is also the part where we need the help of the community. We currently have a list of locations on our website who have offered to collect diapers for us for a short period of time (https://lvsolve.org/diaper-drive-drop-off-locations/). We went around to local organizations and ask them if they would be willing to place a collection box for us for a few weeks (as a favor).
- What we now have to do to make this a sustainable year-round effort is have a list of locations located across the Lehigh Valley. In order to do this – We Need Your Help. If you know of places that would be willing to be a drop-off point in the Valley, please let us know by sending us an email: locations@lvsolve.wpcomstaging.com.
- Ideally the locations should be accessible to the public and be safe, clean, and dry. They should also be easily visible so that someone can keep an eye on them. Places like churches, community centers, retail environments, etc would all be great. We will provide the boxes and signs for the locations (approx. 2 feet x 2 feet)
- We also need to construct a coordinated effort to collect the diapers on a monthly basis and make sure they reach us.
While we are REALLY happy about the events over the weekend, there is much work yet to be done. If you have any ideas on how we can create a collection network within the valley, please leave comments below.
Thanks!