Newtown Lions Club is planning a “Stuff-A-Truck” Diaper Express event to collect diapers and baby personal hygiene items on Saturday, June 14, from 9 am to 4 pm, in cooperation with Stop & Shop and the US Army 411th Civil Affairs Battalion.

The collection will be near Stop & Shop, within Sand Hill Plaza at 228 South Main Street.

As part of its hunger initiative the Newtown Lions are excited to provide a truckload of diapers to the community for those in need. This event is designed to be fun while supporting four local food pantries with diaper supplies: Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Hospitality Hall at Newtown Congregational Church, FAITH Food Pantry in Newtown, and Daily Bread Food Pantry in Danbury.

There is a basic need for diapers in the community for infants and toddlers of families struggling with food insecurity. A typical family might require over $100 of Diapers per month, making this a significant portion of the food budget in most families raising new children. Medicaid does not cover the cost of diapers.

The high cost of diapers is overwhelming to a family’s food budget and their ability to afford adequate supplies of diapers for their babies and toddlers. Some families may try the unsafe practice of multiple uses of disposable diapers. This can lead to significant health issues of improper hygiene resulting in serious infections followed by hospital care in some cases.

A shortage of diapers can also affect a family’s ability to work due to diaper requirements of daycare centers. Most daycares require the family supply adequate diapers for their children for the full day. Without this mothers or fathers may be forced to stay home from work which worsens the financial stresses already being faced by the family.

As with all Lions projects, the Diaper Express is a very important Stuff-A-Truck Event to benefit our community.

Newtown Lions President Dr Joe Young said food insecurity, or hunger, “is one of five major initiatives that the Newtown Lions Club is serving throughout our community.

“Other ways our club serves our area include helping those with low vision, vision screening of our young people, bringing greater awareness and education of diabetes, addressing environmental issues through planting of trees in our community and cleaning our streets, as well as helping to provide support to families and research for childhood cancer.”

Young also noted the Newtown Lions “always answer the call to serve through acts of kindness and would like to share with you that wonderful feeling of serving those in need during this important Stuff-A-Truck event.”

“We serve, it’s that simple,” he said in conclusion.