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Catholic News Herald

Serving Christ and Connecting Catholics in Western North Carolina
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070320 wee careFor parents of infants and young children, a major expense is the regular purchase of diapers, baby wipes and clothing. The yearly cost of diapers can range from $600 to more than $1,000 per each child using diapers. Diaper purchases alone can make up a significant percentage of a monthly budget for families struggling to make ends meet.

Why do many households struggle with the cost of diapers and other baby items? While some families living in poverty or near poverty thresholds receive varied types of “safety-net” government assistance to obtain needed food, housing and health care, the purchase of diapers, baby wipes, and baby clothing usually must be made from limited family budgets. Second, washable cloth diapers are often not a viable option. Many licensed child care centers permit only disposable diapers (which must be provided in advance of daily care). Parents who want to use cloth diapers but who lack access to a washer and dryer or a laundromat nearby find that choice difficult to make. Transportation hurdles also often force some families to buy diapers from local convenience stores near their home that often charge significantly higher prices for baby care items.

Catholic Charities Wee Care ministries of the Lenoir and Winston-Salem service regions assist families with young children by providing many of the items families find difficult to afford when facing tight budgets. Families seeking assistance can call Catholic Charities to get help from a case management coordinator, in English or in Spanish. Catholic Charities staff can also try to connect families living outside of Lenoir and Winston-Salem with access to diaper banks and other services, as well.

 

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Your DSA contributions at work

Some Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte programs are funded in part by contributions from the annual Diocesan Support Appeal. Learn more about the DSA and how you can contribute at www.charlottediocese.org/dsa.

 

 

Gina Cabrera, case management coordinator in Catholic Charities’ Lenoir office, sees this work as a special ministry.

“Wee Care is about helping the smallest in our communities, by making sure parents have a place to turn when they need help,” Cabrera says. “Parents have given their children life, and they are little blessings, but sometimes due to poverty, job loss or simply because the job they have does not pay enough, all needs cannot be covered. That’s when Catholic Charities can assist.”

“In many households facing limited income, parents with babies struggle to keep their little ones clothed, and a major expense for these families is diapers. In addition, babies outgrow their clothes and regularly need larger sizes over the first months and years of life,” according to Becky Dubois, Piedmont-Triad office director for Catholic Charities. “Providing assistance with diapers and baby clothes relieves the financial burden for families who need their resources for other household expenses.”

Catholic Charities welcomes financial donations (go to www.ccdoc.org/donate) as well as donations of baby items, especially diapers. Perhaps your parish or school might consider hosting a “Diaper Drive” to help stock Wee Care storage rooms of Catholic Charities? Catholic Charities will provide “ready to go” flyers for bulletins and will arrange pick up of bulk collections of diapers and wipes. Please call either the Lenoir or Winston-Salem Wee Care contact numbers to explore offering such assistance, and if you are making an individual donation of items, please call several days in advance to schedule a donation drop-off.

— Joseph Purello, Special to the Catholic News Herald. Joseph Purello is director of Catholic Charities Diocese of Charlotte’s Office of Social Concerns and Advocacy.

Pictured: Gina Cabrera, case management coordinator at Catholic Charities’ Lenoir office, is pictured in the storage room of the Lenoir Wee Care Ministry. She sees this work of Catholic Charities as a special ministry. (Photo provided)
Get more info

Catholic Charities’ Wee Care assistance starts with a phone call:

  • Lenoir Office, 328-B Woodsway Lane N.W.: 828-434-5710
  • Winston-Salem Office, 1612 E. 14th St. N.E.: 336-727-0705

Appointments for item pick-up are scheduled in Lenoir and Winston-Salem. If a voicemail message is reached, please leave name, phone number and home city. Items offered are: diapers, baby wipes, infant and toddler toiletries, and new and gently used clothing and baby blankets – for infants and toddlers up to 2 years old.