4,000 Happy Little Camper Diapers Donated to Women & Children’s Center of the Sierra
Since 2008, the Women and Children’s Center of the Sierra (WACCS) has worked to support women as they work to escape poverty and improve their lives and the lives of their children.
WACCS offers a wide variety of free services including educational and life skills classes; a diaper bank which distributes between 9,000 – 11,000 diapers monthly; basic needs provision including food, hygiene, and cleaning supplies; an open computer lab; goal setting and job search help; domestic violence assistance; information and referral services; and so much more.
Under-resourced women are forced to live day-to-day, crisis-to-crisis and WACCS accommodates this reality and are here to help.
“We believe no woman should have to struggle to provide a clean diaper for her baby.” - WACCS
A study conducted by Yale University found that an inadequate supply of diapers was a stronger predictor of a mother’s mental health needs than lack of food. According to the study’s principal author, Megan Smith, Doctor of Psychiatry at Yale School of Public Health, an adequate supply of diapers is a modifiable mental health risk factor. Babies exposed to wearing dirty diapers become angry and may develop detachment disorders because their caregiver is not meeting their needs. For mothers wanting to enter the workforce, diapers can be an obstacle to care, as most daycare facilities require mothers to bring a diaper supply.
Health concerns for babies are also tied to diapers. Mothers who do not have enough diapers are forced to clean out dirty diapers and reuse them, a dangerous practice which can lead to serious skin rashes and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
For more information about Women & Children’s Center of the Sierra and the amazing work that they do, please visit https://waccs.org