AmeriCorps VISTA Member Jennifer Gosnell Helps Raise Over 60,000 Diapers for Local Babies

YAVAPAI COUNTY, Arizona (June 18, 2012 ) The third annual Yavapai Diaper Drive, coordinated by AmeriCorps VISTA member Jennifer Gosnell, was a great success, collecting 61,942 diapers for local young children in need.

To keep a baby healthy, a year’s worth of diapers can cost up to $2,000. “We’re so appreciative of the greater Yavapai community for supporting families of our youngest children through the Diaper Drive,” said Karin Ward, Superintendent and Principal of Beaver Creek School. Ward said her school staff will be able to distribute the diapers they were given through the diaper drive to families in need in Rimrock.

During the drive, which ran from April 16^th through May 13^th , bins were located at public libraries to collect community donations, and organizations such as Height’s Church, Boyle Pecharich Cline Whittington & Stallings PLLC, Faith Lutheran Church of Cottonwood, and the Lion’s Club of Prescott Valley held their own diaper collection events. Sam’s Club of Prescott Valley was also able to donate nearly 25,000 diapers to the Diaper Drive. 

100% of donated diapers are now being distributed  to local families in need through local organizations such as Arizona’s Children Association, Early Head Starts, Teen Outreach Pregnancy Services, the Coalition for Compassion and Justice, and Yavapai County Community Health Services.

 “We have so many families with very young children in Yavapai County who are struggling to provide the basic necessities for their families,” said Barbara Jorgensen, Family Health and Wellness Section Manager for Yavapai County Community Health Services. “The annual Diaper Drive provides help to these families when times are tough. It is one way in which the community can support young children and families.”

The Diaper Drive, a project led by First Things First in Yavapai County, originated in 2010 to help local families with the cost of diapering their babies. “Thank you to all the communities who participated to make the Diaper Drive a big success,” said Sherry Birch, Vice Chair for the First Things First Yavapai Regional Partnership Council. For more information on First Things First, please visit azftf.gov.