State Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) recently held a diaper drive to help low-income residents in the 73rd District get the infant supplies they need.
Diapers, rash creams and similar items are not covered by federal programs like Women, Infants and Children or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, according to a press release from Spain. This leaves some cash-strapped families in a bind.
That’s why Spain launched his first Holiday Diaper Drive in November, delivering diapers and other items to three Peoria food banks: the Center for Prevention of Abuse, the St. Gianna Diaper Pantry and the Peoria Area Food Bank, according to the release.
State Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria)
Spain learned of the shortage in the spring during a meeting of the House Appropriations-Human Services Committee, the release said. His drive, held between Nov. 13 and Dec. 11, gathered 4,000 diapers, 5,000 wipes and dozens of rash creams.
Spain urged the community to continue the donations, citing the fact that infants make up 25 percent of the state’s SNAP recipients.
“In many cases, the thousands of diapers and wipes donated as part of this drive will be distributed within hours or days with additional need already in place,” he said in the release. “There is significant need for especially sizes 4, 5 and 6 diapers.”
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