Cobb Diaper Day aims to collect 140,000 diapers Oct. 15

A countywide diaper drive wants to collect more than 140,000 diapers and baby wipes for low-income Cobb County families. The 18th Annual Cobb Diaper Day runs from 2 to 6 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Cobb EMC's Solar Flower Garden in Marietta, and East Cobb residents can start donating now.

The Barbara Hickey Children's Fund organizes the annual collection, according to the Marietta Daily Journal. Cobb EMCpartners with the fund each year to host the drive and distribute donations to area nonprofits.

The effort has a personal origin. The late Barbara Hickey founded Cobb Diaper Day in 2008 to rally neighbors around a basic need. Since then, the drive has collected more than two million diapers for Cobb County families.

The need is real. Diapers cost more than $100 per month on average, food stamps cannot be used on hygiene products like diapers, and most daycare centers require parents to supply them. Prolonged use of a wet diaper can lead to diaper rash and added stress for children and parents alike.

Residents do not have to wait until Oct. 15 to give. Donations are being accepted several ways:

Purchase diapers or baby wipes through the Cobb County Diaper Day Amazon wish list
Drop off items at O'Dell Hungerford Blanchard & Booth, 506 Roswell St., Suite 210, Marietta, during business hours
Make a monetary donation at the Cobb Diaper Day website
Organize a "Diaper Day" at a workplace, neighborhood or social group to collect diapers

Eight Cobb County nonprofits will receive the collected items: The Center for Family Resources, Cobb and Douglas Public Health, Communities in Schools Georgia in Marietta/Cobb County, LiveSAFE Resources, MUST Ministries, Ser Familia, Simple Needs GA and Sweetwater Mission.

Residents with questions or needing to arrange a diaper pickup can email [email protected] or visit the event website at cobbdiaperday.com.