Over 200,000 nappies donated to help curb nappy stress across Australia
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The Nappy Collective, Australia’s only not-for-profit solely focused on collecting and redistributing nappies to families in crisis, collected 207,762 nappies during its annual 2-week Mother’s Day Collection Drive which ran from May 8th-21st and coincided with the organisation’s 10th anniversary.
Nappy stress describes the experience of families who do not have enough nappies to change their children as often as needed.
With costs of living soaring and more families experiencing social disadvantage than ever before, there is an urgent need to provide nappies for families with low incomes, at risk of homelessness, escaping domestic violence, seeking asylum, or at the conclusion of court proceedings when children are unexpectedly returned home.
The Nappy Collective worked with community partners and volunteers to facilitate over 550 Collection Points around Australia where people could donate new or leftover disposable nappies. Locations included hundreds of early learning centres, maternal health centres, major retailers and small businesses.
On Saturday 27th of May, the nappies were taken to regional sorting locations to be counted and distributed to families in need.
Right now in Australia, 1 in 10 families can’t afford the nappies they need for their babies. Without access to nappies, little ones may be left in their nappies for too long, causing distress, discomfort and infections.
The cost-of-living crisis has worsened nappy affordability for many families, with demand for the Nappy Collective’s support essentially doubling over the past 12 months.
The Nappy Collective set an ambitious goal of collecting 1.5 million nappies in 2023, yet the need for nappy donations is so high, meeting this target will only deliver 5% of what’s required.
Those who would still like to support The Nappy Collective can drop nappies at year-round collection points or donate much-needed funds to assist The Nappy Collective in reducing nappy stress via the donation page on its website.
Related: The Nappy Collective needs 350,000 nappies this Mother’s Day to help curb nappy stress
Menchie Khairuddin is a writer Deputy Content Manager at Akolade and content producer for Third Sector News. She is passionate about social affairs specifically in mixed, multicultural heritage and not-for-profit organisations.
