This week, TIME magazine published an article about Joanne Goldblum, a Connecticut social worker who launched a Diaper Bank after learning that basic household items and hygiene products like toilet paper and diapers are not covered by food stamps. Lack of access to these staple items can have significant ramifications for both parents and children. Goldblum points out, for example, that many day care providers expect parents to supply their own diapers, effectively barring some parents from using day care facilities since they cannot afford to provide their own diapers. This in turn makes it harder or prevents parents from finding employment, staying employed or obtaining a degree, as their time is spent taking care of their children.
I thought this mainstream article did an effective job of pointing out one of the many problems facing people who live at or below the poverty line, and the inadequacy of federal assistance programs to help meet needs. However, I’ve been disappointed with what seems to be a disproportionate number of articles from mainstream sources talking about how the recession is affecting middle and upper-middle class families. While the problem Goldblum has identified is not a product of the recession, but rather an example of one hole in the welfare system, the recession is likely making the consequences of these problems more severe. Several have called attention to the classist approach much of the mainstream media sources and the “experts” they feature have taken, whether it be in terms of content or advice about surviving the recession.
To learn more about the Diaper Bank and how you can contribute to a solution, visit Goldblum’s website.
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