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The Leadership Oswego County Class of 2023 has adopted to have a diaper drive to benefit OCO, a local non-profit organization.
The drive will be held in the first two weeks in May.
Leadership Oswego County (LOC) offers an annual leadership program that prepares a select group of county residents to become the community stewards of the future. LOC is a community program administered by SUNY Oswego’s Office of Business and Community Relations. The program explores community trusteeship, leadership skills, current issues and networking with a diverse group of community residents. Their mission is ‘To educated committed citizens to become a well-informed, engaged, and diverse network of community stewards.’
Each year, the LOC graduating class is tasked with the opportunity to work on an end of the year group project. After surveying the needs of the community, they were able to recognize Oswego County Opportunities as a valued asset to the community as a private, nonprofit human service agency that serves 15,000 people each year through more than 50 programs. OCO Executive Director, Diane Cooper-Currier, was able to help narrow down an area of impact that LOC could help with advocacy efforts. Diane stated that “…housing, child care and employment as well as transportation are significant needs-along with providing people with basic needs such as food, diapers, formula as prices have sky rocketed making it difficult to afford these items on limited incomes.”
After further review, the LOC group was able to identify that there were currently no programs in place to help assist community members with diaper needs. Diapers are a basic need that no baby should ever have to go without. However, the truth is everyday babies and toddlers go without the diapers they need to stay clean and healthy. According to the CNY Diaper Bank, an adequate supply can cost $100 a month, and they aren’t covered by programs like SNAP or WIC. When a family has a lack of diapers it can also keep babies out of childcare, resulting in a parent being out of work. OCO will help to disseminate and disburse the diapers collected from LOC to those they have identified as in need.
LOC will hold the “Do Your Duty” Diaper Drive to help combat this very critical need, helping some of the county’s most vulnerable- babies and children. The goal is to collect 10,000 diapers between May 1st -May 14th, symbolically ending on Mother’s Day.
There have been boxes placed throughout Oswego County. LOC is asking that individuals help fill the need by placing new, unopened packages of diapers in any of the drop off locations. All sizes are needed, any amount is helpful! For a list of Drop Off locations please see the attached flier or visit: https://goo.gl/maps/t1V9D4AsNjUnbB379
They have also created an amazon wish list, in which you can purchase directly and have diapers delivered to a central location.
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/SH5A2IONKTC7?ref_=wl_fv_le
