Busking for babies: Musician performs Saturdays to raise money for diapers - Gloucester Daily Times

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On any given Saturday, Kitt Cox can be found strumming his guitar outside Sailor Stan’s.  

As he strums original music and covers songs for the pedestrians who walk by, the Gloucester resident is looking for a different type of change.  

Cox plays every Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at Sailor Stan's coffee shop at 1 Wonson St. to raise awareness and garner support for parents of young children in need of diapers across the United States. 

“When COVID(-19) came I was frightened and depressed as everyone else and there was so much confusion about it,” Cox explained. “I thought let’s do something that I am pretty sure is the right thing.” 

Having co-founded North Shore Postpartum Depression Task Force, an Ipswich-based group that supports maternal and infant mental health, Cox knew that families with young children were not exempt from the struggles caused by the novel coronavirus pandemic.  

And so, two boxes sit at Sailor Stan’s for people to donate disposable diapers that go to The Open Door for distribution to families in need, and an online portal, https://bit.ly/34srBB2, is set up for people to make financial donations to National Diaper Bank Network. 

According to the official National Diaper Bank Network webpage, one in three U.S. families struggle to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry, and healthy. 

Diapers can often cost $70 to $80 per month per baby and most child care centers require parents to provide a day’s supply of disposable diapers — all of which can create obstacles for parents of young children. 

“Babies without clean diapers are exposed to more potential health risks and less likely accepted to daycares, leaving parents unable to attend work,” the website continued to explain. 

The network offers multiple ways to get involved, such as making financial donations, advocating, engaging in related conversations, and — as Cox has done — volunteering to host a drive to collect disposable diapers for those in need. 

While the week of Sept. 21 marked this year’s National Diaper Need Awareness Week, Cox works 365 days a year to support families.  

The North Shore Postpartum Depression Task Force works to provide information and education to families living on Cape Ann and the North Shore. 

According to its website, the grassroots organization works to increase maternal depression awareness among providers in the health care community, early care and education, and family support; perform outreach and education to expectant and new mothers to address the stigma and patient barriers associated with maternal depression; assure early identification of maternal depression in health care settings by addressing barriers to recognition, screening, assessment, and referral; encourage investment in evidence-based interventions that improve mother-child relationships; and build a comprehensive network of community perinatal service providers to strengthen mental health in the pregnant and postpartum family.  

Rain or shine, Cox stands at the local coffee shop strumming his guitar and singing for change. 

“When something stinks, it is time for a change,” Cox said.

Taylor Ann Bradford can be reached at 978-675-2705 or tbradford@gloucestertimes.com.

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October 08, 2020 at 05:00PM
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Busking for babies: Musician performs Saturdays to raise money for diapers - Gloucester Daily Times

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