Lee County, in partnership with Healthy Start Southwest Florida, is launching a diaper drive to collect diapers to promote health and provide economic stability for families.
Healthy Start Southwest Florida operates the Southwest Florida Diaper Bank, which has served 32,115 families. Statistics indicate that half of these families miss an average of one week of work each month due to an insufficient supply of diapers for their childcare providers and 48 percent of families delay changing a diaper to extend the available supply.
The Lee Board of County Commissioners voted Sept. 15 to approve a resolution recognizing National Diaper Need Awareness Week, but wanted to do more to help.
Starting Monday, Oct. 5, and continuing through Friday, Oct. 23, designated Lee County Public Libraries and Parks & Recreation facilities will accept donated diapers and related supplies to be shared with the community. Items collected in Lee County will be distributed to help Lee County families.
The designated facilities are:
Parks facilities/recreation centers
- Estero Recreation Center – 9200 Corkscrew Palms Blvd., Estero, FL 33928
- North Fort Myers Recreation Center – 2000 N. Recreation Park Way, North Fort Myers, FL 33903
- Veterans Park Recreation Center – 55 Homestead Road S., Lehigh Acres, FL 33936
- Wa-Ke-Hatchee Recreation Center – 16760 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33908
- Boca Grande Community Center– 131 1st St., Boca Grande, FL 33921
Library locations
- Bonita Springs Public Library – 10560 Reynolds St., Bonita Springs, FL 34135
- East County Regional Library – 881 Gunnery Road N., Lehigh Acres, FL 33971
- Fort Myers Regional Library – 2450 First St., Fort Myers, FL 33901
- Lakes Regional Library – 15290 Bass Road, Fort Myers, FL 33919
- Northwest Regional Library – 519 Chiquita Blvd. N., Cape Coral, FL 33993
- Pine Island Public Library – 10701 Russell Road, Bokeelia, FL 33922
- South County Regional Library – 21100 Three Oaks Parkway, Estero, FL 33928
Healthy Start Southwest Florida locations
- Main office – 1921 Jefferson Ave., Fort Myers, FL 33901
- Warehouse – Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., 12270 Itec Park Drive, Suite 200, Fort Myers, FL 33913
Specially designated collection boxes will be in place at the locations.
The most needed items include:
- Diapers: Newborn through size 6
- Toddler pull-ups
- Diaper wipes
- Diaper cream
- Child training pants