The Leadership Oswego County Class of 2023 is running a diaper drive for the first two weeks in May to benefit local non-profit Oswego County Opportunities and families in the community.
A community program administered by SUNY Oswego’s Office of Business and Community Relations, 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. The program explores community trusteeship, leadership skills, current issues and networking with a diverse group of community residents. Their mission is "To educate 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 recognized Oswego County Opportunities (OCO) as a valued asset. OCO is a private, non-profit 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, as "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,” Cooper-Currier said.
The LOC group learned that there were currently no programs in place to help assist community members with diaper needs, but realized diapers are a basic need that they wanted no baby to go without. But, according to the CNY Diaper Bank, an adequate supply can cost $100 a month, and these are not 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.
The goal is to collect 10,000 diapers between May 1 to May 14, symbolically ending on Mother’s Day.
Boxes are in place throughout Oswego County and beyond, with a list of drop-off locations available via this link -- including on-campus locations with the support of the State Employees Federated Appeal committee.
LOC asks that individuals help fill the need by placing new, unopened packages of diapers in any of the drop-off locations. All sizes are needed, and any amount is helpful.
-- Submitted by the Leadership Oswego County Class of 2023