Diaper donations sought
A mother and a 2-year-old visited a food pantry one day.
As the mother picked out food, the Rev. Jim Swarthout of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in McHenry held the baby.
Swarthout suggested that the child could use a new diaper.
"Father Jim," the mother responded. "I can only afford two diapers a day. I clean it out and put it back on him."
For some, this would be an unfortunate story to tell about a situation all too many families face these days.
Maybe it would make you sad, even disgust you a bit.
But how many would actually do something about it?
Swarthout did.
And now, roughly 17,000 diapers sit at the church waiting to be handed out to needy families throughout McHenry County.
Swarthout has created McHenry County's and even Illinois' first real diaper bank.
Just six months ago, he had read an article in "Time" magazine about a diaper bank in Connecticut. He didn't think much of it. Until he held that baby.
"At that moment, the stars aligned," he said.
He has developed a program unlike any other by involving area social service agencies and churches.
St. Paul's collects and stores the diapers. And the agencies, such as the Blessing Barn in Crystal Lake and the McHenry County Youth Service Bureau, pass them onto families.
"If someone needs diapers, they probably should have some social services," Swarthout said. "It gets us all working together."
His plans were to get the bank going in late October, but he's already started distributing the diapers.
Since word has spread of the bank, the diapers keep coming, some randomly showing up on the steps of the church, located at 3706 St. Paul Ave.
Not just kids' diapers, adult-size diapers as well to be used at agencies that help the elderly, such as Faith in Action.
Swarthout starting asking for the adult diapers at the suggestion of a 50-year-old man who had just lost his wife to cancer. The man told him how expensive it had been to care for his wife, who suffered from incontinence.
Along with the diapers, Swarthout has gotten $800 in donations to buy diapers.
"I didn't know it was going to take off like this," he said.
Anyone who's ever had to buy diapers knows how expensive they can be, adding up to at least $130 a month for an infant. From someone who once had four in diapers at the same time, I'd say a box of diapers is probably one of the best gifts to give a young family.
The expense really hits low income families because diapers aren't covered under the government's Women, Infant and Children program.
For many, cloth diapers aren't an option because daycares won't accept them.
When the Rotary Club of Crystal Lake Dawnbreakers, of which Swarthout is a member, heard about the drive, they suggested each member bring a box to the next meeting.
"Everybody went way out of control, and brought two and three and four bags of diapers," club President Sue Dobbe said.
The group donated roughly 4,500 diapers and intends to do so monthly. I'm told area schools are planning to support the cause as well.
Dobbe suggested that parents with children who have grown out of diapers might have some open bags or boxes lingering in their closets that they could drop off at the church.
Swarthout hopes to have a web site devoted to the bank up within the week to accept online monetary donations.
"We're on our way," he said.
