HAMMOND, Indiana | Franciscan Health’s annual diaper drive has already reached unprecedented levels with enough donations to purchase up to half a million diapers, more than ten times the number from the previous year’s drive.
With October designated Diaper Insecurity Month, the Franciscan Health Foundation is still seeking additional donations to help local families with a daily need.
Franciscan Health Foundation Executive Director Rick Peltier credits Foundation Board Chair Joe Allegretti’s desire to make a bigger impact in the drive’s fifth year. Allegretti reached out to the Medical Executive Committee at Franciscan Health Dyer/Hammond/Munster to see if they could provide donations to help purchase far more than the 44,198 diapers collected in the 2020 drive.
“I thought it would be great if we had 500,000 diapers,” Allegretti said. “Hopefully people will feel like this is a good cause and will donate.”
The Medical Executive Committee responded with a $20,000 gift, which leverages Franciscan’s buying power to purchase disposable diapers for as little as 5 cents a diaper. Allegretti then reached out to Schepel Auto Group, which responded by subsidizing the purchase of baby wipes to distribute with the diapers.
“The Prenatal Assistance Program would like to thank our Medical Board and Schepel Auto Group for their support and generous donation to our diaper bank. The funds donated will allow us to purchase up to 500,000 diapers and will provide hundreds of infants with diapers for a whole year,” said Franciscan Health Hammond Prenatal Care Coordinator Alexandra Grelecki.
Schepel Cadillac Sales Manager Ryan VanProoyen said, “At the Schepel Auto Group, each day we have the privilege of providing the local community with transportation to empower their lives, but we realize that being in business carries an even higher calling, which is to further God’s kingdom and help those in need. Given the global difficulties in recent years, it is crucial that we help to equip mothers with the necessary items to help them care for their children. We are proud to partner with Franciscan Health to support mothers in nurturing our future generations.”
Franciscan Health Community Health Improvement Manager Danielle Crowder said the drive is part of a larger project to address diaper insecurity that is included in the transformation of the Franciscan Health Hammond campus.
“With the generosity of our Dyer/Hammond/Munster Medical Executive Committee’s $20,000 gift and a number of local supporters, Franciscan Health Hammond will serve as the Region’s National Diaper Bank Network site,” Crowder said. “I am elated to see much needed and continued services become accessible to not only Hammond residents, but our neighboring communities.”
The community can continue to contribute to these efforts through the month of October by donating to the Prenatal Assistance Program at www.franciscanhealthfoundation.org/DiaperDrive or by calling the prenatal assistance number at (877) 773-6285. Monetary gifts are requested instead of actual diapers since Franciscan is able to purchase them at a lower rate than retail.
