You may have seen the stork themed diaper bank truck, Tom Tom cruising the streets of Orange County on its way to deliver a truckload of diapers for families who are experiencing hardship. For the past four years, the OC Diaper Bank has been an essential resource for families struggling with young children. At the end of June, the program will likely have to look a little bit different due to the state budget deficit as cuts to the OC Diaper Bank funding will impact the amount of infants and young children Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAP OC) can serve.
Thankfully, our partners in the community are coming together to ensure that some level of funding can be maintained. We are especially grateful to Orange County Supervisor Don Wagner who has made a significant contribution to alleviating short-term budget constraints. With the support of his colleagues, Supervisor Wagner has graciously provided $500,000 in discretionary funds to help maintain diaper bank operations beyond June 2024. In addition, Supervisor Doug Chaffee has added an additional $100,000 to help support the $1.25 million budget to operate the program.
Long time partners, like Home Aid Orange County also hosted their annual Essentials Drives this month collecting 1.1 million diapers, ensuring the Diaper Bank can meet capacity needs for an additional 2 months, contributing to about 15% of the total diapers distributed annually.
These timely local efforts have been paramount in the OC Diaper Bank’s ability to continue servicing our community as we actively seek long-term funding solutions. If you’d like to get involved, or make a charitable contribution, please e-mail us at partner@capoc.org.
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