Montville — Town resident Tara Crossley is running her eighth annual diaper drive for the Montville Social Services and Senior Services Departments.
Beyond being philanthropic, she has personal reasons for the initiative.
Crossley is collecting diapers until she delivers all of them to the town’s Social Services Department at some point in the next couple weeks. People are encouraged to donate money or diapers directly to the town’s Social Services and Senior Services departments as part of the drive. Diaper donations also can be dropped off at the Chesterfield Fire station, Waterford Fitness or Crossley’s home at 1326 Old Colchester Road, Oakdale.
Thus far, the Doo Good Diaper Drive has raised more than $3,000 for the departments. Crossley said that since 2012, its raised more than $20,000 total.
Her personal experience with pregnancy is what motivated her to start the project.
“About nine years ago I miscarried triplets, that was after being told that I wouldn’t be getting pregnant. I was devastated,” Crossley said. “When I found out I was pregnant, I was completely panicked about having three babies and started buying diapers and everything that you could imagine. So, when I miscarried them, I had all this stuff and nothing to do with it because I was not hopeful that I would get pregnant again.”
She went to the town’s Social Services Office to give away items she felt were no longer necessary. She was informed by the director that she had barely missed someone who needed diapers, which are constantly in demand.
“I sat in my car and cried thinking about the fact that somebody wouldn’t be able to afford a $10 pack of diapers for their baby. I never forgot it,” Crossley said. “October is the month that my triplets were due. They would’ve been born just before Halloween. It is also pregnancy and infant loss awareness month. I decided to turn my grief into something positive and make my Halloween party a diaper drive.”
Crossley ultimately became pregnant twice more, giving birth to three children. She hopes for an even bigger haul for the drive this year but noted that last year, the drive amassed a box truck full of diapers and other care items. The drive also collects adult diapers and senior care items.
Diaper shortages are a persistent problem throughout the country. The issue has worsened because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, The New York Times reported, “Many families across the country are turning to diaper banks to meet basic needs because of pandemic-related job losses.”
Diaper banks are useful, but, as is mentioned on the Doo Good Diaper Drive Facebook page, while cities like New York or Philadelphia have large diaper banks, and dispense diapers to shelters and social services, “Here in rural communities, we only have each other.”
“Montville has a lot of working poor people, so I try to concentrate all my volunteer work and all of my donations to Montville’s social services or senior center,” Crossley added.
The Link LonkNovember 12, 2020 at 08:19AM
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Annual diaper drive also collects money for Montville services - theday.com
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