By Mindy Ragan Wood, Staff Writer – February is the month to celebrate romantic love, but Youth and Family Services (YFS) is challenging the community to show its passion for infants and toddlers in need.
The Love a Baby Diaper Drive is an annual challenge to Canadian County residents to collect as many packages of diapers as possible. The nonprofit organization goes through at least 15,000 diapers and pullups. Their goal is to collect 800 packages in sizes from preemie through six.
YFS serves the needs of young families in crisis, foster children, and emergency shelters among several other programs in Canadian, Kingfisher and Oklahoma counties.
Cindi Turner, director of the volunteer program, said the community has always stepped up for the diaper drive in some creative ways.
“People do a challenge at their work or church and encourage their employees or folks over there to bring as many packages as they can. Sometimes they’ll do a competition and build a tower of diapers to see who can build the tallest with the most diapers. We had a school do a competition and the kindergarteners won. They were really proud of themselves for beating the older kids,” she said.
February is not the only month the community participates but it is the official diaper drive month for YFS. Tuner said some groups pick a different month to start a drive and the donations are not limited to diapers alone.
“Some people donate wipes and if they can’t get out, they donate monetarily. We make sure those funds are funneled to this program,” she said.
Diapers and supplies can be arranged for pick up or dropped at the YFS office at 7565 E. Highway 66, El Reno.
YFS serves 2,600 people ages birth to 23.
