(Bronx, NY) - On Friday, October 24, State Senator Gustavo Rivera presented a $50,000 check to the Bronx Health Link, Inc. during the launch of their new Diaper Giveaway Program. More than 300 Bronxites attended the event where each received approximately one week's worth of diapers. They were also able to interact with 18 community organizations for more resources to support themselves and their families.

The $50,000 grant allocation by Senator Rivera will be used to run this brand new diaper program, which will supply free diapers to 20 birthing people each week for at least seven months in addition to this event. This funding will also support The Bronx Health Link’s Bronx Doula Access Project. Now Medicaid eligible, the doula services provided by this program will allow birthing people in our borough with childbirth education, birth doula services, and postpartum doula services.

“I’m proud to allocate $50,000 in operational funding to the Bronx Health Link, to continue delivering vital programs and essential items to many expecting and existing parents in the 33rd District. It’s a delight to be able to fund this organization for a third year in a row because I strongly believe in their core mission, which seeks to improve maternal and infant health outcomes in our borough by providing our families with essential resources to thrive," said State Senator Gustavo Rivera.

“The Bronx Health Link is thrilled to be able to launch this program and add it to our other programs and services addressing maternal and infant health in the Bronx. When we meet a baby’s basic needs, we strengthen the foundation for the child’s health and future. Diaper access is a public health issue, not a luxury, and a diaper giveaway program is maternal health in action,” said Shirley Leyro, Administrative Director of The Bronx Health Link.

For last Friday's event, attendees registered ahead of time and requested the diaper size that their families needed. This event reached its capacity within a week of announcing the date, and families who had not been able to register were provided with contact information to The Bronx Health Link at (718) 590-2648.