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2nd Annual NBC26 Diaper Drive helps babies in need

Posted at 10:56 PM, Nov 01, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-02 17:46:34-04

The 2nd Annual NBC26 Diaper Drive was held on Wednesday at the Bay Park Square Mall Shopko store in Ashwaubenon. The diapers that were donated will help the 7,000 babies in Northeast Wisconsin that are living with families that are at, or below, the federal poverty level or living in low-income homes.

Jenna Reimer of Green Bay is experiencing firsthand how expensive it is to diaper a child.

"We have 4 kids, so I know the struggle of diapers."

Reimer was happy to donate to our drive to help families in need.

"With the holiday season coming, I know that's probably even more stress on them, so anything we can do to help." 

With one in three families experiencing diaper need, Stephanie Bowers, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Jake's Diapers, said the donations will make a big difference.

"There's a correlation between diaper need and abuse, because if your baby is wet and its crying and you can't do anything about it, and you're already frazzled as a parent, the likelihood of abuse is significantly higher and that's just a real tragedy."

Bowers said many parents also get frustrated by a lack of support.

"WIC and food stamps will not buy diapers, so that's really a problem. So what we're finding is that many of our low income, struggling families are having to choose between food and diapers, and that is a struggle no one should ever have to face."

Bowers said in the four years that her non-profit organization been in operation, they've impacted 6,000 lives.

"If you think about it and you can't meet the basic needs of your child, it really wears away at you. So if we can help meet those basic needs, we can help lift up families out of crisis as well as keep them from falling into crisis."

Not only will the diapers collected at the NBC26 Diaper Drive help further the non-profit's mission, so will the $500 donation from the Shopko Foundation.

"Shopko is a hometown store right here in Green Bay, so we know how important it is to support the causes that matter most to those in the community," said Michelle Hansen, Shopko Foundation and Public Relations Manager.

Bowers is grateful for the help to help others.

"I cannot thank everyone enough. It is amazing to see the community rally together to help babies in need."

For Reimer, it just seemed like the right thing to do.

"To be able to pay it forward is good."

Johnson & Johnson is also pledging to match all monetary donations dollar for dollar. Click here for more information or to make a donation.

NBC26 would like to thank everyone who came out and donated to the cause!