And now for a dispatch from our expatriate correspondent:

Yesterday morning, which was late Wednesday night for you, I thought that maybe we should have a target goal for the TucsonMama Mother’s Day Diaper Drive. You know, something to aim for. $250 in donations by end of day Friday would be a good goal I thought. Except between the Amazon Wish List and the new Facebook Cause page (look under TucsonMama if you have the Cause application) we’re already at $300. Yeah! All those tushies covered. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

So, now we need a new target. How about $500 between donations on the new Facebook Cause page and the Amazon Wish list by next Thursday? Who’s in? Remember if you donate via the Amazon Wish list to send an email to diaperdrive at gmail.com the order receipt so that we can get your little e-card to you. We have a few errant cases of diapers and no idea who to thank for them.

Why are diapers so expensive and why aren’t they subsidized by any governmental office? Really, inquiring minds want to know. Is this just a matter of jurisdiction? How do we change this? Or as the spectacular San Francisco group Help a Mother Out say: “If the government can make cheese, subsidize infant formula, AND childcare to the poor, why can’t they contract with Seventh Generation or gDiapers to manufacture diapers and then subsidize diapers?” Diapers aren’t exactly an optional item and an item needed by the most vulnerable in our community, our children and the elderly. Any answers?

Finally, I’ve been asked about actually dropping off diapers. The Diaper Bank has drop off locations all over town. If you drop off diapers, please put a note saying “For TucsonMama Diaper Drive” on the box. The Diaper Bank is in desperate need of unopened bags of diapers in the larger sizes–4s, 5’s and 6’s–, as well as training pants and newborn sizes (though the need is greater for the larger sizes). Other items you might consider donating are tampons, pads, and baby wipes.

Let’s make this Mother’s Day a Happier Mother’s Day for all Tucson mamas.