Green Mountain Transit went all out for Lund last month with a diaper drive. Thanks to their hard work, promotional efforts and commitment to helping the community, Lund received 16,416 wipes and 22,887 diapers for families engaged in our programs. Green Mountain Transit arranged for donation bins to be placed at Hannaford supermarkets around Chittenden County and reached out to local company Seventh Generation to arrange for five pallets of diapers to be brought directly over to the Hoehl Family Building. The younger toddlers in the playground enjoyed watching that truck unload one sunny morning!
As anyone who has ever cared for a young child can easily understand, we always need diapers and wipes! They are absolutely essential but the cost quickly mounts up. The average child uses about 2,700 diapers in the first year which can cost over $550. Providing these supplies for their children is often a challenge for families engaging in Lund programs. There are no state or federal programs that provide funds specifically for purchasing diapers and actually some financial assistance programs prevent the purchase of diapers. This drive eases this burden for local families and will ensure that children are healthy and well looked after.
“Green Mountain Transit is always working toward the goal of being an asset in the community,” says General Manager, Mark A Sousa. “When opportunities to work with like-minded organizations arise, we never question how we can help… we just jump right in to do what we can.” And jump right in they did! Lund is so very grateful to Green Mountain Transit for this amazing diaper drive.
Who will benefit from these diapers?
- The preschool and older toddler classrooms at Lund’s Early Childhood Education Program where we provide 5 STAR therapeutic care and education to 50 children while their parents and caregivers engage in school, work or treatment.
- Moms living at our residential facility which the only place in Vermont where moms can engage in treatment for substance use disorder and mental health challenges while living with their child.
- The Kids-A-Part program so incarcerated moms have the necessary supplies to look after their children during mother child visits in Lund’s Kids-A-Part child friendly visiting room at the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility.
- Foster parents looking after young children who cannot be with their birth families for a short time or for longer as Lund works to find forever families for them through adoption
- Families living in the community and working to build strong, self-sufficient families through Lund’s Reach Up, job training, parenting education, outpatient treatment, and post adoption support programs.
- Student moms working towards their high school diplomas at Lund’s New Horizons Education Program.
Thank you Green Mountain Transit!
You can watch Mark Sousa on ABC 22 talking about the diaper drive here
