Choosing Between Diapers and Gas

by: Summer Hunt, ELS

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“I think there are a lot of misconceptions about people who get help from the diaper bank. We work very hard to make ends meet… I go without a lot of things to make sure my kids are taken care of.” 

Lacey Cotton, mom to Alexis, Jerrod & Aurin

Lacey gave birth to her youngest son 6 weeks earlier than planned. “We knew that we would have certain expenses with the baby, but then having to bump all those payments up… we weren’t quite prepared,” she says. With her baby now 10 months old, Lacey is working long hours to support him and her 6-year-old son while her boyfriend takes care of the kids at home. “I use my car for work, and there are some days when it feels like a toss-up: Do I spend $30 on gas or $30 on diapers?”

Lacey first came in contact with her local diaper bank through her church, which frequently donates diapers. “It’s so important to give back to your community, to pull together and support one another—especially where women and children are concerned,” she says. “You never know when something is going to come along, and a family might need just a little more help. Getting support from the diaper bank has made a huge difference for my family.”

Lacey’s young son also has sensitive skin, which means she has to be careful about which diapers she uses and how frequently she changes him. “Knowing that I have enough diapers, and that I won’t have to leave him in a dirty one too long, risking him getting a rash, is such a relief,” she says. “I just want my kids to be happy and healthy.”

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Summer Hunt, ELS