By REV. REBECCA G. HINES

There are no safely-net programs of any kind, at the federal or state level, including Women, Infants, and Children WIC, Food Stamps, Medicare, or Medicaid, that provides money for diapers.

If you qualify for Medicaid Waiver, the wait time is between five to seven years before you can get help with diapers.

Providing diapers for needy families of infants, “special needs” populations, adults, and the elderly is something that Destiny Diaper Bank has been

focusing on for the past year. We receive calls from everywhere and everyone asking the same questions. Do you have diapers? Most of the sizes that are in most demand are sizes 3-4 and 5. Children stay in these sizes the longest.

“Are you coming to Lehigh tomorrow? I only have two diapers left and really need your help.”

This is the question that has been asked over and over this week and last. My answer is, “I am sorry, but we are trying to get some diaper drives going over there. Try calling next week.

Destiny Diaper Bank needs your help. We established DDB in Lehigh about a year ago.

Once a week we open our little room up at 205 Joel Blvd to hand out diapers to parents that have made an appointment.

Two weeks ago, we gave out around 1600 diapers to around 17 families that are depending on support from the community for help.

Diapers are an essential item for families of small children. Most day care centers, even free and subsidized facilities, can’t admit a child without a

day’s supply of diapers (infants need up to 12 per day; toddlers up to 8).

If parents can’t bring their kids to day-care because they lack diapers, they can’t work or attend school or job training. This can spiral families into failure.

Not surprisingly, a baby crying from spending hours in a soiled diaper may be at a greater risk of physical abuse. It is sometimes more common than not for

a baby to sit in a soiled diaper for the entire day. Children who are dirty get reported to social service agencies more often and their parents are accused of not caring for them.

Many people are surprised that those that need diapers cannot get them from Food Stamps. This is true. While families are given Food Stamps and can also supplement their need for food from many food pantries in the area, diapers cannot be obtained from Food Stamps and most food pantries do not carry all of the sizes that are needed.

Our greatest demand for diapers is for children sizes 3-4-5 and 6.

Recently we received a very generous supply of adult diapers that has helped out our “special needs” population and elderly, but we are in constant need of children’s diapers. Our supply is very low and on some days, we have to turn people away.

My concern is for the baby. Did that mom take off the last diaper that she had, empty the solids out and put it back on her baby?

Is that baby going to run a risk of being abused tonight? If his/her parents are fighting because

of losing their home, or fighting because there is no work or no money? What happens if he/she cries in the middle of the fight? Will they hear, “Shut up! Stop the crying! Can’t you keep that baby quite?” Would a clean dry diaper make the difference?

At this present time, we have been giving out around 12,000 diapers a month.

We are not supported by government or state funds and rely solely on donations from diaper drives, donations, and financial support. Destiny Diaper Bank is a 501 C 3 non profit charity. Your donation may be a tax deduction to you.

It wasn’t that long ago when the gas rose to around $4 a gallon, that we saw the need to open up a center in Lehigh Acres.

One of the moms would travel for seven hours by bus to receive much needed diapers. After receiving a space at 205 Joel Blvd. from Dewey Tyler, the next agenda was to join the Chamber of Commerce. We want Lehigh Acres to know that we are very concerned about their community and that we are there to help make a difference.

Most of the donations of diapers are still coming from diaper drives that are held in Cape Coral, and Ft. Myers.

We have several families that need diapers and are waiting for your support.

Here some examples of what we are hearing:

* “I have one small child that suffers with arthritis. Each morning, her daddy has to massage her, just to help straighten out her tiny body. She wears pull -ups. Their expenses are between $400 – $500 a month.

* “One mom who has a 6-year-old son that is bi-polar has her sister raising her other two children because of her son’s violent fits that might hurt the other small children. The special classes that he attends at school requires that she furnishes the school with diapers. We are helping this mom with over 600 diapers a month. From all of the medications that he takes, some months he needs more.

* After several years of marriage, this one couple did not expect to be hit with such a challenge. The wife has MS and has to wear adult diapers. They are turning to us for help.

* A car accident left a single young man incontinent. He needs 12 adult diapers a day.

* The father of three small children just left. The mom does not have any idea where he went. He lost his job. They lost their home and car, and he just couldn’t take it any more. She is now trying to figure it all out, wondering what to do, how to take care of her three small boys and no money for diapers.

Support is Needed

We are here today to ask for your help and support. In the next few weeks, someone from Destiny Diaper Bank will be calling on the churches, businesses,

and individuals of Lehigh Acres to step in and help. Please help us. Please call us now. Destiny Diaper Bank, 239-549-2130 Just say, we want to hold a

diaper drive.

Contact Jack or Rebecca Hines at destinydiaperlady@yahoo.com. The website for our effort is: www.destinydiaperbank.com

Rev. Rebecca G. Hines heads the Destiny Ministries of Southwest Florida Inc., home of Destiny Diaper Bank at 1510 SE 46th. Ln. in Cape Coral.