RAPID CITY, S.D. – The Rapid City community has shown its generosity during Diaper Need Awareness Week, donating thousands of diapers and supplies to help local families in the Black Hills.
Mayor Jason Salamun was joined by representatives from Volunteers of America (VoA)/Northern Rockies and city officials to announce the successful results of the drive. The effort collected more than 10,400 diapers and nearly 7,250 wipes, along with $2,500 in monetary donations. The donations will be distributed by Mommy’s Closet, one of only two diaper banks in South Dakota.
In addition to the community’s donations, the VoA/Mommy’s Closet is using funds from the South Dakota Community Foundation and VoA/Northern Rockies to purchase 17 pallets of diapers, totaling 170,000 diapers.
Donation sites throughout Rapid City included City Hall, Fire Station 1, the Public Safety Building, the Rapid City Public Library, and Mommy’s Closet. The community effort aims to combat “diaper need,” which is defined as the lack of a sufficient supply of clean diapers to ensure infants and toddlers are healthy and dry. The average infant requires about eight diaper changes per day, and the cost of diapers can create a significant financial burden for families.