Donations wanted: 10th annual Chesterfield Diaper Drive launches to assist first-time parents

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Two agencies, Chesterfield-Colonial Heights Families First and Infant and Toddler Connection of Chesterfield are seeking donations for their 10th annual Diaper Drive. The drive, which runs until the end of March, is working to collect baby wipes and diapers.

The agencies encourage donors to give new, unopened packages of diapers, specifically sizes 5, 6 and 7, to help families across the area. The drive is accepting diapers for newborns through 6, pullups and baby wipes. 

The program helps families enrolled with Families First, a program of Healthy Families Virginia. The program provides support to first-time parents to ensure their young children are healthy and ready to start school by age 5.

The drive also supports the Infant and Toddler Connection of Chesterfield. This program provides support to children under 2 with developmental delays and other medical conditions. Both agencies are under Chesterfield County’s Department of Mental Health Services.

Donations are especially critical this year as families battle inflation and product shortages. Last year’s drive collected over 53,000 diapers and over 500 wipes, which was an all-time record. This year’s Diaper Drive is hoping to beat last year’s high and collect 55,000 diapers.

“We want to ensure that our families are not having to make tough decisions that may require them to make necessary needs go unmet because they cannot afford diapers,” Ashley Rogers, Families First program coordinator said.

How to donate

Individual donors can drop off diapers and wipes at the following locations: MHSS Rogers Building at 6801 Lucy Corr Blvd., the Chesterfield Infant Program at 9711 Farrar Court, Suite 140 and any Chesterfield County Public Library branch location.

Organizations, groups and businesses interested in participating can contact Family First Program Coordinator Ashley Rogers at rogersa@cheserfield.gov or Infant Program Manager Leslie Pakula at pakulal@chesterfield.gov to receive marketing materials and arrange donation drop-offs.