St Joseph Conference – Marinette of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, Inc. serves the Marinette and Peshtigo School District area of Marinette, Peshtigo, Porterfield and Walsh.
We are, “A network of friends, inspired by gospel values, growing in holiness and building a more just world through personal relationships with and service to people in need.” Founded in Marinette in 1920 with home visits for rent, utilities, meds, transportation, fuel, or other basic needs assistance.
We developed a new program “Diapers not covered!’ for the families that we serve because they said it was an unmet need for their family. We were awarded a grant from the Women’s Giving Circle Endowment Fund held at the M&M Area Community Foundation. These funds will serve mothers and their babies with whom we make home visits. The average baby goes through six to ten diapers a day, which, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, can cost $70-$80 per month. Food Share does not cover the cost of diapers.
We are very appreciative of the Women’s Giving Circle partnership, as they helped us with a special surprise for the registered families of our Christmas Gift Basket program. The gift of diapers was something they had not expected. We served about 50 of our 143 registered families with diapers, pull-ups or the overnighters and we surveyed them for what sizes will be needed for the future. We will purchase in bulk quantities for the next three quarters a variety of diaper sizes. The diapers will be distributed, upon request, through the SVdP Marinette Food Panty and our home-visited mothers and children.
This is a very expensive item considering babies go through 6 to 10 diapers a day. Families need to make tough decisions because they cannot afford diapers. They now know that the SVdP Marinette Food Pantry will have diapers available for them during their weekly or monthly visit to the SVdP District Pantry.
We held a collaborative meeting with Bay Area Pregnancy and Tri County Area United Way once we received the grant. SVdP Marinette Food Pantry and St Joseph SSVdP Conference agreed to distribute throughout the year sizes 5+, pull-ups and overnighters. In addition, Bay Area Pregnancy will continue to distribute sizes N to Size 4 through their program.
Parents received a flyer explaining the grant from the Women’s Giving Circle Endowment Fund. Tri County Area United Way held Diaper Drives at a number of their partner businesses during the last quarter. The donated diapers were disbursed according to sizes to both Bay Area Pregnancy and SVdP Marinette Food Pantry and St Joseph SSVdP Conference.
To stretch the grant dollars and extend the length of time for service to the mothers that we serve, our conference will petition for donated diapers from our three supporting parishes including Holy Family – Marinette, St Mary – Peshtigo and SS Joseph and Edward – Walsh throughout the year. We are searching for future Quarter benefactors to provide either funding or needed diapers.
During the year our families can call SJC-SSVdP at 715 735 9100 Ext 106 —- For Diapers Sixe 5+, Pull-ups or overnighters. Our families will be referred to call BAPS (Bay Area Pregnancy Services) at 715-732-4305 at 2420 Hall Ave – For Diapers Size N to Size 4.
