ANZ Echuca has been collecting nappies since the program launched on July 18.
Branch manager Sheryl Campbell said the drive had been receiving a lot of support from locals, with particular attention from early childcare provider, Pink and Blue Early Learning.
“Pink and Blue have donated six packs of nappies,” she said.
“It’s really great to hear that people are doing something for those in crisis and who are vulnerable.
“There’s a lot more people that need help out there than we think, and they don’t know how to ask.”
Ms Campbell said the Bendigo branch of ANZ piloted the program earlier this year, and had great successes with it.
When the program was made available to more branches, she put her hand up for Echuca.
“Programs like this resonate with the community,” she said.
“If you want to be someone who contributes to the community, you need to find different ways of doing it — day to day we help people with their banking, but it’s about finding other things to shine a light on to help our community.”
While the program officially finishes on Sunday, July 31, Ms Campbell said that the bank would find a way to pass on any nappies donated after that date to The Nappy Collective.
“I’m not going to take the station away that quickly; if someone happens to drop some in after that date, I’ll call them and let them know we have more to send in.”
There are 230 collection points around Australia accepting donations of new or leftover disposable nappies over the past few weeks.
“A lack of access to clean nappies may be due to issues of financial hardship, homelessness or escaping domestic violence, or those impacted by natural disasters, such as the recent flooding we have seen in New South Wales and Queensland,” said chief executive officer of The Nappy Collective Sarah Witty.
“Every child deserves a clean, healthy and stable start to their day with a clean nappy.”
In Australia, 1 in 10 families can’t afford the nappies they need for their babies.
Without access to nappies, babies may be left in their nappies for too long, causing distress, discomfort and infections, and with the cost of living rising, this problem is set to get worse.
The Nappy Collective has a goal to provide 1 million nappies to children and families experiencing ‘nappy stress’ across Australia.
The following donations are accepted:
•Newly purchased disposable nappies
•Leftover, opened packets of disposable nappies that are no longer needed — such as when a child outgrows their nappy size
•Disposable swim nappies
•Nappy pants
