Sales tax holiday may not be enough relief for some families
The tax-free holiday that begins July 1 will be welcome relief for parents whose children wear diapers. But for some parents who struggle to make ends meet, it may not be enough.
Treasure Coast Food Bank has a solution for low-income parents who need help providing diapers for their children. In partnership with the National Diaper Bank Network, Treasure Coast Food Bank operates a diaper distribution network throughout Southeast Florida.
“While most people know that we supply food, they may not be aware that we also operate a diaper bank,” said Judith Cruz, President and CEO of Treasure Coast Food Bank. “Diapers are essential to a child’s well-being and healthy development, and disposable diapers are a necessity to enroll children in most childcare programs. We know that families who struggle to obtain enough to eat also struggle to purchase other necessities like diapers,”
There are more than 674,000 children under the age of 3 in Florida, and 22 percent live in families earning less than the federal poverty level, according to the National Diaper Bank Network. Among Florida’s mothers with infants, 63 percent are in the workforce.
Families unable to afford diapers are forced to choose between a range of undesirable alternatives. Some families may cut back on other basics such as food to purchase diapers. Without enough diapers, babies and toddlers are at greater risk of diaper dermatitis from soiled diapers.
Treasure Coast Food Bank’s Happy Baby Diaper Pantry collaborates with partners who can supply families with other resources in addition to diapers, such as access to programs for new mothers and young children, like Women Infants and Children (WIC) and Early Head Start.
For more information about Treasure Coast Food Bank’s Happy Baby Diaper Pantry, email happybaby@tcfoodbank.org.
###
ABOUT TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK
Treasure Coast Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization on Florida’s Treasure Coast, providing the community each year with millions of meals valued at more than $50 million through robust programs and in partnership with 400 charitable organizations in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. In addition to emergency food distribution, Treasure Coast Food Bank operates a full roster of direct service programs that not only solve the immediate problem of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security, better health outcomes, and self-sufficiency. Treasure Coast Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. For more information on Treasure Coast Food Bank, call 772.489.3034, log on to stophunger.org, visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/tcfoodbank, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/tcfoodbank.
