Filling gaps in our community is at the core of what Ontario Cares does. So when Ontario County Health identified a need for diapers, and other organizations echoed the sentiment, our team didn’t hesitate.
Thanks to a generous partnership with Foodlink, Ontario Cares has distributed over 300 cases of diapers and counting to families and agencies across the region.
Community Support Center Coordinator Karen Guidarelli has led the initiative for Ontario Cares, coordinating distribution directly to families at our pop-up food pantry, as well as to a network of local partner agencies, including Child and Family Resources, DSS & Foster Care, Geneva 2030/Toddler Time, Early Intervention, Safe Harbors, local libraries, Family Promise, and Connections.
Thanks to generous donations from the Canandaigua Rotary and the Ontario Children’s Foundation, Ontario Cares was also able to purchase a large quantity of baby wipes to include in distributions because families need more than just diapers. 
This effort has been made possible through the collaboration of Ontario County Public Health and community partners who share our commitment to ensuring families in our community have their basic needs met. “It’s one of the ways to reduce child abuse, because it reduces stress on the parents. And babies cry less when they’re dry,” Guidarelli said. “We will continue to distribute diapers directly to families at our food distributions and to agencies for as long as we can get access and have the funding.”