Cooper City proclaims National Diaper Need Awareness Week; local diaper bank accepts proclamation

Mayor James Kearns proclaimed Sept. 15–20 as National Diaper Needs Awareness Week in Cooper City and presented a proclamation describing the health and economic impacts of diaper insufficiency. Dwayne Wolf accepted the proclamation on behalf of the local diaper bank and described the group's distribution work.

The proclamation, read aloud at the Sept. 9 special recognition meeting, said that “diaper needs” — not being able to afford a sufficient supply of clean diapers — can harm children’s health and families’ economic prospects. It cited national surveys saying nearly one in two families struggles with diaper needs and that “48 percent of the families delayed changing a diaper to extend the availability [of diapers].” The proclamation said a regular supply of diapers is often required for babies and toddlers to participate in child-care and early education programs.

Dwayne Wolf, who said he and his wife started the diaper bank nearly 10 years ago, accepted the proclamation and described the group’s work. “We’ve distributed a little over 2,000,000 diapers throughout the 32, 31 municipalities in Broward,” Wolf said, and added, “no family or individual should have to choose between paying for groceries or buying diapers.” He said he is a Cooper City resident and thanked the commission for the recognition.

The commission’s proclamation ties diaper need to missed work and medical costs in its text and highlights diaper banks as supporting family well-being and local economic opportunity. Photographs and brief remarks followed the presentation.