Anyone who has raised children knows how fast they can go through diapers in their early years. For low-income families, that can be a budget-buster that leads to some unhealthy practices. “They’ll leave the child in wet diapers or try to reuse them,” says Angelica Oxford, president of the Junior League of Stamford-Norwalk. “That can lead to diaper rash, or worse, urinary tract infections.”

To combat the problem, the league has sponsored a Diaper Co-Op for the past two-and-a-half years. The program provides a year’s supply of diapers and wipes to 50 needy children, distributed on a biweekly basis.

“We were looking for a new community project in 2008, and looked at the Diaper Bank in New Haven as a model. There was no one serving lower Fairfield County, so we’ve partnered with [Darien-based] Person-to-Person, which identifies the parents and puts them in contact with us.

“Since the Co-Op began we’ve distributed 275,000 diapers,” says Oxford. “We give out 1,000 to 1,200 diapers every distribution. We’d love to do more, but cost is a limiting factor. We could serve more than 10 times as many people as we do now.” The league spends about $35,000 each year, using money from its fundraisers as well direct donations of money and product.

The group is also the designated beneficiary of the New York Rangers’ participation in the NHL’s “Hockey for Huggies” campaign. Anyone wishing to support the Diaper Co-Op should check the League's website.