VAIL, Ariz. (KGUN) — Students across the Vail Unified School District are stepping up to help families in Southern Arizona.
More than 20 schools in the district are collecting diapers for the Arizona Diaper Bank as part of an annual drive that has become a decade-long tradition.
Catherine DeMotica, the diaper bank’s program and volunteer manager, said the organization was started to address a growing need in the community.
“We started this because there was a huge need in Southern Arizona, and so we've been in the business for 32 years, and the need hasn't stopped growing,” DeMotica said.
That need extends across the country. Nearly half of U.S. families with young children cannot afford enough diapers, according to data from the National Diaper Bank Network.
Programs such as WIC and SNAP help families pay for food and other necessities, but they do not cover the cost of diapers.
For Mark Tate, who has helped organize the Vail district’s diaper drive since it began, the effort is about more than collecting diapers. It is also an opportunity to teach students about giving back.
“As of through last year, we have collected over 1.4 million diapers in nine years, and with this collection, we'll be over 1.5 million,” Tate said.
Tate said the drive also gives students a chance to see that helping others can be just as important as receiving.
“It shows children that there are opportunities to give. It's not always receive. It's not what do I want, but how can I help others in need,” he said.
For 10 years, Vail students have continued to show up, donate, and keep the tradition going — one diaper at a time.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
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