Women’s Resource Center plans formula and diaper giveaway at library

The Women’s Resource Center brought formula and diapers to the Bolivar County Library on May 21, opening a short midday window from 10:30 a.m. to noon for families who needed baby essentials that can strain a household budget fast.

The giveaway fit the center’s mission in Cleveland, where its website describes it as a pregnancy center offering free, confidential services and parenting support that includes diapers, formula and baby clothing. The center lists its Cleveland office at 1410 Hwy 8 West, Cleveland, MS 38732, with hours Monday through Wednesday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and it also operates a location in Lyon.

The practical need behind that kind of help is large. The National Diaper Bank Network says nearly 1 in 2 U.S. families with young children cannot afford enough diapers to keep a child clean, dry and healthy. Federal material says low-income families typically use about 4,700 diapers from birth to potty training and spend roughly $945 to $1,500 per child. Federal researchers also say diaper shortages can affect child health, caregiver health, child-care attendance and a parent’s ability to work.

Mississippi families have a broader safety net that includes Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance, or MAMA, which connects women and families to infant essentials and other services. The Bolivar County Library System also lists Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies of Mississippi among its health resources, underscoring how public institutions across the region are being used as access points for family support.

Taken together, the library giveaway was more than a one-day handout. It pointed to a recurring strain for parents of infants and toddlers, and to the way Cleveland-area nonprofits and public institutions are filling gaps with direct, tangible help.