Green Country Businesses Help Collect Diapers For Families In Need

Local families have a growing need for diapers, and the Green Country community is stepping up to help. Emergency Infant Services in Tulsa said it is on track to give families in need a record million diapers in 2022.

Social service director, Jacky Escobedo, said there is a growing need because of inflation, unemployment and other factors.

"There's currently not any financial assistance for diapers,” said Escobedo. “The diapers do cost quite a bit, especially if you have multiple children, so not having that access to buy diapers with government assistance does put a strain on the families."

EIS has been getting help the last few years from Kirsty Ray, owner of Tulsa Family Doulas and director of I Diaper Tulsa, which collects diapers.

"We have realtors, we have different people that are in their little community, even people just collecting in their neighborhood are really helpful," said Ray.

About two dozen sponsors, like Magnolia Soap and Event Staffing Tulsa, are collecting diapers this month.

"This is one of them that's very near and dear to my heart as a woman, as a mother, and then seeing the need of other mothers, I couldn't pass it up," said Scottie Rae Lawrence, owner of Magnolia Soap.

Ray said I Diaper Tulsa is trying to set a record of 20,000 diapers collected to cover as many babies' bottoms as possible.

"Not having a clean diaper for a child could lead to many other possibilities, so we do want to keep that from going into a bigger issue, such as neglect or any other issues that might arise from that," said Escobedo.

The I Diaper Tulsa collection event is Saturday, Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Studio 308 in Downtown Tulsa.

The event allows the public to drop off diaper donations, meet sponsors and learn how many diapers have been collected.

For more information on the event, visit here: http://www.idiapertulsa.com/