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WHEREAS, there are 5.9 million babies in the United States aged three or younger living in poor or low-income families, with one in three American mothers unable to provide their children a basic essential for health and hygiene - a clean, dry diaper; and,
WHEREAS, there is an estimated need of 77,000 diapers per day for these children in Allegheny County alone; and,
WHEREAS, disposable diapers cost up to $150 per month per baby with no government assistance and parents cannot take children to day care without diapers, preventing them from working or attending school; and,
WHEREAS, the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank, established in 2012 as a nonprofit organization and based in the city's Hill District, at present is the only local organization that has addressed this need as its sole purpose and is the only diaper bank west of Harrisburg in the state; and,
WHEREAS, the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank supplies diapers to any agency serving low-income or poverty level families in the Western Pennsylvania and currently works with a network of 13 non-profit social service agency partners and an all-volunteer staff; and,
WHEREAS, the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank joins the National Diaper Bank Network in raising awareness of critical need during National Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 8-12, 2014, as a call is made to the citizens of Pittsburgh to join in their efforts to ensure that the diaper crisis is resolved and every child has a clean, dry diaper;
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NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh does hereby declare September 9, 2014 to be "National Diaper Awareness Day" in the City of Pittsburgh.