June 14, 2022
First delivery was amazing!
On June 9, 2022 I delivered over 700 diapers to The Allied Foundation in Melville, NY. I met the Executive Director, Heather Edwards, who could not have been more proud of her work. Heather took time out of her day to explain everything The Allied Foundation does to help struggling families obtain diapers and wipes.
This month she will be giving a portion of my donation to the Helping Hands Rescue Mission in Huntington, NY, which is a local cause.
This Mother’s Day I asked my relatives if they would consider helping me kick off Diapers for a Difference by donating diapers to support Moms who need the help. I am very thankful for the help I received and definitely plan to continue this effort. I loved meeting Heather and made plans to work with her again!
Ava Coco, Founder of Diapers for a Difference, visits Allied Foundation with donations, June 2022.
June 27, 2022
Thank You to The Allied Foundation!
Special thanks to The Allied Foundation for featuring me on their website and Facebook page! All awareness and promotion for my cause, Diapers for a Difference, will help families in need. The recognition was appreciated and I plan to continue to help you!
Raising awareness for diaper need and my cause, Diapers for a Difference, June 2022.
July 12, 2022
Diapers and Wipes are an Amazon Prime Day Deal!
Did you know diapers and wipes are part of Amazon Prime Day? I had no idea. Started my morning off scrolling through their deals and, like a calling, came across deals on Pampers and Honest brand diapers and wipes. They’re offering big savings on two month supplies. For example, a two month supply of size 4 Pampers (320 diapers) and almost 900 wipes is over $30 off, costing $107.
Calling all family and friends to grab this deal for Diapers for a Difference and help my cause!
Diapers and wipes are part of Amazon’s Prime Day deals – please help make a difference!
September 15, 2022
Henry Street Settlement Donation
After hearing a local resident was collecting items for the Urban Family Center at the Henry Street Settlement I thought there could be some synergy with Diapers for a Difference. After doing a little research I learned this was the country’s first apartment style temporary shelter for homeless families with children. I’m happy to say a quick collection among friends and neighbors led me to donating over 750 diapers and many wipes to this wonderful organization. I hope the mothers with newborns and infants who received the donations have a tiny bit less to worry about.
Always searching for new places to donate diapers to help end diaper need, September 2022.
November 28, 2022
Helping Hands Rescue Mission
Thank you to the members of my family who agreed to bring a box of diapers to our Thanksgiving get together. Today I dropped eight boxes of diapers off at Helping Hands Rescue Mission. Every little bit counts. During the holidays things like buying diapers, when you’re already worried about money, can be very stressful.
Helping Hands Rescue Mission and Diapers for a Difference partner up to help end diaper need, November 2022.
January 5, 2023
Holiday Diaper Drive
I’m thankful for family members who recognize how much this effort means to me. I asked each of them to bring a box of diapers to Thanksgiving dinner and they delivered! Over 1,600 diapers were collected this past November!
Shortly after Thanksgiving, I started seeing a lot of signs for toy drives. I suspected buying diapers during the holidays was a huge stress when parents were simultaneously hoping to buy gifts so I was excited to start distributing my collection locally. I’d love to share how:
In the process of staying in touch with Heather Edwards of The Allied Foundation, I learned the demand for diapers among the needy on Long Island is fiercer than ever with inflation. It was great to see Heather again and hand off almost half of my diaper collection. She was headed to her warehouse as a big pre-holiday distribution was about to take place.
Another portion of my diaper drive was delivered to the Helping Hands Mission in Huntington, NY. Helping Hands has a Baby Blessings campaign. They are always in need of items for both moms and babies. A large portion of my collection was left with them this past December.
Lastly, a local family I connected with is still involved with helping the Henry Street Settlement. They were looking for baby related items before the holidays as they expected a large influx of young families in the coming weeks. The remainder of the diapers collected went to Henry Street.
I hope I made a small difference for both the moms and babies in need this past holiday season.
Heather Edwards, Executive Director of Allied Foundation, accepts latest donation that aims to help families experiencing diaper need during the holiday season, December 2022.
March 15, 2023
Spring 2023 Diaper Drive
Next week, I kick off my annual Spring diaper drive, where I rely on family, friends and neighbors to support my effort to help families who struggle to afford diapers.
I recently learned that the high cost of diapers can impact a parent’s ability to work because child care providers can require parents to provide enough diapers for each day of care. A family struggling financially may be able to stretch a day’s worth of diapers out longer at home, but must have a surplus in order to make sure they meet the requirements at daycare.
The next time I connect with the Allied Foundation, a diaper bank I’ve been working with since 2021, I plan to ask if they have an outreach program for daycare centers in low income neighborhoods. This could be another compelling avenue to assist economically-challenged young families.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, most parents will go through approximately 3,000 diapers during the first year of their child’s life. That’s a huge expense. If you’re reading this, I hope I have encouraged you to donate to your local diaper or food bank. Some suggestions are right here on my site. Every little bit helps.
I look forward to reporting back on my diaper drive in the next few months!
New season, new drive! Keeping the momentum going to help end diaper need, March 2023.
April 18, 2023
Ambassador Program Helps Spread the Word!
I’m so happy to put the spotlight on Erin Luecke, a junior from Darien, Connecticut, who conducted a drive for Diapers for a Difference this past March. Erin identified Malta House, the only home for pregnant women above 18 in Fairfield County with programs for young, homeless mothers and their babies, as an organization that could greatly benefit from a collection.
Erin stood outside her local grocery store on a busy Saturday and collected over 1,000 diapers! She felt inspired the whole day and raised awareness of a need the customers may not have thought about prior to this.
What an amazing effort that will go a long way to help both the mothers and babies at Malta House.
As you read this, please think about how you can help struggling mothers in your local community give their babies the basic needs we often take for granted.
June 6, 2023
Ambassadors Are At It Again!
On May 10th, Drew Russell, a junior at New Canaan High School, hosted a diaper drive for Diapers for a Difference outside his local grocery store. In one day, Drew collected over 2,000 diapers!
My Connecticut ambassadors have aligned themselves with Malta House, the only home for pregnant women above 18 in Fairfield County, with programs for young, homeless mothers and their babies.
The staff at Malta House was ecstatic to receive another large donation!
I’m incredibly thankful to Drew for helping spread the word and I’m confident every person who made a donation that day became more aware of this important cause.
August 2, 2023
Another Collection Donated!
Last week I met with Heather Edwards, Executive Director at Allied Foundation to hand off the goods from my latest diaper drive. When I started this effort to represent my personal commitment to the work of women helping women, I didn’t realize how lucky I’d be to meet a woman like Heather. Each time we get together I find her spirit and dedication to this cause to be both contagious and uplifting. I’m thankful to have met someone who understands young people can make an impact on this front. I was very excited to tell Heather about my new idea to broaden the reach of Diapers for a Difference and help more mothers. Stay tuned!
August 6, 2023
New Promotion Helps Awareness
Thank you Allied Foundation for featuring Diapers for a Difference on your social media accounts. The National Diaper Bank Network just came out with startling new research. Did you know 28% of parents experiencing “diaper need” reported skipping meals to afford diapers? You can make a difference! I hope everyone who sees my picture and cause on these posts realizes there are simple ways to empower women and children from underserved communities. Please visit “You Can Help” on my website to see where you can donate diapers.
September 21, 2023
National Recognition For My Cause!
I’m very excited to announce that I received a #DiaperOn award from the National Diaper Bank Network in recognition of the volunteer work I do for Allied Foundation. The National Diaper Bank Network announces this award to coincide with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, which takes place every September. I was totally surprised and honored! This is something I do outside of my schoolwork and sports to try to make a small difference. I want to thank National Diaper Bank Network and Allied Foundation for recognizing me, in their words, as “a true leader, volunteer, and inspiration.”
October 6, 2023
New Partnership Leads to More Donations
I’d like to introduce you to another non-profit organization that’s helping end diaper need. Good+Foundation is a leading national non-profit that works to dismantle multi-generational poverty. During National Diaper Need Awareness week, I hosted a diaper drive for Good+Foundation. I’m thrilled to report Diapers for a Difference donated over 1,000 diapers to this great organization. I just received word that the diapers are being distributed to those in need this week. It’s wonderful to know an effort can lead to immediate impact. This diapers drive brings me over the 5,000 mark to over 6,000 diapers donated since 2022!
November 22, 2023
Celebrating New Moms!
Two of my cheerleading coaches are giving birth this month! In their honor, I organized a small diaper drive and donated over 1,250 diapers between two local charities: St. Patrick’s Trocaire and Helping Hands Rescue Mission. Many soon-to-be Moms do not have baby showers, where they’re gifted with boxes upon boxes of diapers. More families than you can imagine do not have the luxury of buying diapers without looking at the price.
I hope this post inspires you to donate to a diaper bank in honor of someone you know who is giving birth. I know that act of kindness will go a long way.
January 5, 2024
Warehouse Visit Leads to Unexpected Award Presentation!
As previously mentioned, I recently had the great honor of being awarded the #DiaperOn Award from the National Diaper Bank Network. This was a big surprise and I’m truly grateful my efforts to end diaper need were recognized on a national level.
This winter, after completing another collection, I was able to visit the warehouse where Allied Foundation houses all of their donations, some of which come from Diapers for a Difference, and also meet some of the staff responsible for getting the donated diapers into the hands of the needy.
I plan to continue collecting diapers in 2024 and look forward to watching this effort that I started as a freshman grow even more.
Receiving this award was an experience I will not forget and I hope this inspires you to do a collection to help end diaper need.
March 5, 2024
Girls Scouts Make a Difference!
This January, I formed an alliance with the Suffolk County Girl Scouts. I remembered from my days as a Girl Scout that cookie sales were approaching and I knew sales typically take place outside grocery stores. The Girl Scouts are an organization that exemplifies kindness so I’m incredibly grateful this worked out. At each booth sale, the troops use my signage to encourage support and motivate patrons to buy diapers as they shop!
Cookie sales run for a few more weeks. I can’t wait to see how many diapers we’re able to donate from this effort! This photo is from the first of the booth sales. My goal in this effort was twofold: to collect more diapers for the needy and to encourage young girls to realize they can make a difference in someone’s life.
April 12, 2024
Thank you, Girl Scouts!
My recent diaper drive, done in conjunction with Suffolk County Girl Scout Troops 161, 32, 95, 306 and 356, is coming to a close. I’m so excited to give each of the girls a patch as a small way to thank them for helping me raise awareness of diaper need. I believe these patches will honor their service to Diapers for a Difference, allow the girls to remember this experience and hopefully encourage them to continue to help underserved communities. I look forward to sharing the total count donated soon!
May 23, 2024
Successful Pick Up!
I met up with the Girl Scouts and Brownies to pick up the diapers they collected for Diapers for a Difference. The rain didn’t slow us down as we made several trips to the car due to the incredible amount of items collected. I’m thankful these troops agreed to partner with me. I hope this effort leaves a lasting impression, stresses the importance of giving back and raises awareness of “diaper need.”
Next item on the agenda is to get these diapers over to The Dolan Family Health Center; a local organization committed to helping families who are uninsured and Helping Hands Rescue Mission; a local organization that supplies diapers to families in need.
Can you guess how many diapers the troops collected? Stay tuned!
June 13, 2024
Over 3,00 Products Collected!
So happy to share that over 2,500 diapers and over 500 wipes were collected by the Girl Scouts and Brownies I partnered with on Long Island! This effort provided a small sense of relief to many local families struggling to afford these basic needs. It also brings me great joy to know that a group of young girls were made aware of this issue and can continue to help end “diaper need” as the troop leaders aim to make this an annual tradition with Diapers for a Difference.
When I started this effort I never imagined I would collect over 9,000 diapers. Back in 2022, I did not comprehend the large swath of families in need only miles away from where I live. Over these three years, I have grown as a person and grown to realize young people can make a difference.
Unfortunately the stats have not changed, 1 in 2 U.S. families struggle with “diaper need”. But through my efforts and the work of my ambassadors, we have raised awareness of this important cause across the Tri-State area and will continue to raise awareness in the months and years to come.
September 23, 2024
National Diaper Need Awareness Week
I’m pleased to share that I’m continuing my annual diaper drive with Good+Foundation to once again coincide with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, which takes place in late September every year.
Good+Foundation provides essential goods to under-resourced families. Their New York warehouse partners with anti-poverty programs across the state to get the diapers collected by Diaper for a Difference into the right hands.
This year, I broadened the scope of items that can be donated to include diaper bags and changing pads. I’m thrilled to share that at the time of this post, this drive has brought Diapers for a Difference’s total to over 10,000 diapers donated.
Hopefully, I’ve motivated you to make a difference in your own community. If you’re interested in hosting a diaper drive of your own in conjunction with Good+Foundation, just email givetime@goodplusfoundation.org. I promise, it’ll be worth the time!
November 1, 2024
County Baby Shower Supports Families in Need
I’m excited to publicize that hundreds of diapers from a recent Diapers for a Difference drive were donated to the Suffolk County Department of Health Services for a special baby shower they hosted for expectant moms experiencing financial difficulty.
Events like this illustrate my goal of making life a little easier for struggling families with babies. It always brings so much joy to see images and hear stories about where the diapers collected are going.
The statistics have not changed: 1 in 2 U.S. families struggles to afford diapers. The facts are very simple: without diapers, babies cannot participate in childcare or early education programs. And without childcare, parents cannot go to work.
It saddens me to report that diaper need is a national health crisis. Please consider donating to one of the diaper banks listed on this site and help a struggling parent keep their baby dry and clean.
Diapers for a Difference helps Suffolk County Department of Health Services host a special baby shower for expectant moms experiencing financial difficulty.
December 14, 2024
Annual Holiday Diaper Drive Exceeds Expectations
I’m grateful to all who contributed to my recent drive, aimed to help families undergoing financial hardships during the holiday season. The financial stress these parents experience year-round is amplified during the holidays, and a simple donation can make all the difference. Over 2,000 diapers will be delivered to Helping Hands Rescue Mission and the Dolan Family Health Center.
In 2025, I aim to continue raising awareness of this little-known public health crisis and encourage more family, friends, and community members to donate diapers.
You can help relieve a family’s financial burden by donating to a local diaper bank. Please click “You Can Help” for useful links.
