Half of the diaper and money donations from a drive will stay in Arizona to help the local community, with the rest going to Florida and Texas. (Photo by Paola Garcia/Cronkite News)
TEMPE – The volunteers stood in the shade of a bank parking lot, carrying water bottles, waiting for people to send relief to hurricane victims in Florida and Texas.
The request for donations was for a much-needed item that may not come easily to mind – diapers.
Diapers are needed for hurricane victims and for locals in the Valley, said Ginger Clayton, a founder of the Diaper Bank of Central Arizona.
A diaper drive will continue through Oct. 15 at locations throughout the Valley. (Photo by Paola Garcia/Cronkite News)
“We usually hold a large drive here in the Valley for local families and we decided, with all of the disaster efforts and victims that are out there, that our hearts really go out to them and wanted to help,” Clayton said.
The Diaper Bank collaborated with BBVA Compass Bank operations center, where this week’s diaper drive was conducted, and Mach 1 Global Services, the shipping company that will transport the diapers to the places in need.
Half of the diaper and money donations from the drive will stay in Arizona to help the local community, with the rest going to Florida and Texas.
“We actually already sent 27,000 to the Houston Diaper Bank,” Clayton said, mentioning that they stay in close contact with the Houston and Florida diaper banks and the National Diaper Bank Network to determine the biggest area of need.
“Ultimately, I would love to collect 200,000,” Clayton said. She was pleased with the 20,000 diapers they received on their first day of the drive.
People still have time to donate. The diaper drive will end on Oct. 15.
Drop-off sites for diapers are located throughout the Valley: