CNYdiaperbankorg
Photographs by Caden Ackerman
A Call to Action When Michela heard that diapers weren't covered by government assistance she knew in her heart she had to do something. After her third child was born, Michela began her mission to provide this essential item to young mothers in the Syracuse area. In 2016, Michela organized their first diaper drive and collected over 23,000 diapers. Utilizing space in her husband's office, Michela teamed up with local agencies and began the distribution process. Now working with nearly 40 agencies and having collected and distributed millions of diapers, Michela is so grateful to be a part of an organization filled with dedicated, giving people.
Pandemic The last two years was a unique experience and though they still collected a good amount of diapers it was not near the amount compared to pre-pandemic collections. JOURNEYS | 4
"There's no limit to what we, as a human race could accomplish, if all children had the chance to live up to their potential. Diapers may seem like a small thing, but they're really a critical thing... and they're a huge expense for families." -Michela
Due to stockpiling as well as manufacturing and distribution hold-ups, many couldn't find diapers to purchase. The Diaper Bank found themselves in uncharted waters. Fortunately, through funding and the opening up of special grants, Michela and her team remain diligent. "This support has helped keep the diaper supply going, but this isn't without concern or struggle. The economy is struggling, and when the economy struggles so do the families we support," shares Michela.
We Are All Connected The baby's mind is wired, even at a young age and to be able to provide a clean diaper, and give not only that child that comfort, but to ease the burden on an already struggling family. We need to remember, "the children in our community are all of our children, not just their children, we're all connected", states Michela
