KAUKAUNA, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Nearly a year has passed since Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico but one Northeast Wisconsin company says its relief efforts will go on.
Since the hurricane hit the island last September, Jake’s Diapers in Kaukauna has been collecting, packaging and distributing diapers to families with infants in Puerto Rico.
The non-profit diaper bank has provided 12,239 cloth diapers to more than 1,000 people.
“The cloth diapers provide the same diaper coverage as 6.2 million disposable diapers,” said Stephanie Bowers, co-founder of Jake’s Diapers.
“By providing cloth diapers instead of disposables in Puerto Rico, we have avoided more than 4 million pounds of garbage that would take over 300 years to break down.”
To continue the company’s effort, starting Friday, there will be a dollar for dollar match, up to $1,000 per donor through GlobalGiving.
Bowers tells FOX 11 Jake’s Diapers match will continue until December 31, 2018, or until the matching funds run out.
“When disaster strikes, families may find themselves with only the clothes on their backs. This was true after Hurricane Maria and, unfortunately, is still true today. People in Puerto Rico are just trying to survive. Unfortunately, federal disaster relief programs do not provide diapers, so that is why we’ve stepped up to help meet the need.”
Diaper Need Awareness Week is September 24-30.
It is an annual week sponsored by the National Diaper Bank Network that coordinates with other diaper banks across the country to emergency situations like Hurricane Maria.
