We know more families must choose between paying for utilities, housing and food. With an adequate supply of diapers costing familes $100/month, many children remain in dirty diapers for days which can lead to abuse and disease as well as developmental problems. To that end, the United Ways of Greater New Haven, Coastal Fairfield County and Western Connecticut are partnering with The Diaper Bank to collect half a million diapers  for lower income families in our 33-town region.  Area businesses and civic leaders joined with Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro and Congressman Jim Himes to celebrate the diaper drive and call our community to action.  You can learn more about the issues and hear their comments from the December event on our website.

To date, over 300,000 diapers have been collected, but we still need your help.  That is why it is important to revisit the following information posted to United Way's website in December about ways you can make a difference in the lives of families across our region:
 

1. Continue to Work Toward Our Goal of Collecting Half A Million Diapers

You can change lives today! Register your drive by sending an email to atownsley@uwgnh.org with your contact information in order to receive staff support and be counted in reaching our goal. Be sure to check the Toolkit for helpful resources.

You can also give diapers online by making a donation.  By taking advantage of wholesale rates we are able to maximize your donation and purchase 8 diapers for every dollar donated.

2. Blog or Tweet About How You Pledge to Give Babies A Healthy Start

Join United Way's blogging community, lend your voice on this pressing issue, and raise awareness in our area. You can also tweet and connect with other community members who care about ensuring babies have a healthy start.

3. Share Information With Your Networks of Colleagues and Friends

You can play a critical role in helping to change conditions in our community by simply engaging your network around these efforts. Speak up and help change lives by talking to people you know about the need and how we can all become advocates.

4. Become Informed About Policy Updates

Track federal legislation that helps provide diapers to families in need.  You can also get informed on issues by learning about our work in Education, Income, and Health. 

5. Write a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor are effective advocacy tools because they reach a large audience, create widespread support or opposition to an issue and are monitored by elected officials.  Please find tips below to help you write a letter to the editor:

• Many newspapers have strict limits on the length of letters and have limited space to publish them. Keep your letter brief to avoid key points from being removed.
• Send letters to weekly community newspapers too-the smaller the newspaper's circulation, the easier it is to get your letter printed.
• Be sure to include your contact information as many newspapers will only print a letter to the editor after calling the author to verify his or her identity and address.
• Make references to the newspaper-many papers will only print letters that refer to a specific article.

6. Write a Letter to the Media

Use United Way's Advocacy Tool to compose a letter and instantly send it to area newspapers, radio, and television stations.