SUDBURY -- In this season of giving, Pure Country 91.7 is hosting its annual Diaper Drive to help Sudbury’s Pregnancy Care Centre and Infant Food Bank.

The Pure Country team is conducting its third annual Diaper Drive, only this year, it’s going to be a Diaper Drive-by instead.

“Due to COVID safety protocols that we have in place, we can’t physically collect the donations at the radio stations,” said Bryan Cooper, Pure Country 91.7 Morning Host.

"So, we thought we still want to do this diaper drive, maybe we can do it in diaper drive-by style. People can literally drive up to where we are. We will have volunteers standing by to receive those donations. They can get out of their vehicle, drop off and be on their way."

There will be three different opportunities for people to take part, Cooper said.

“Josh and myself are doing our morning show live this coming Friday," he said. "We will be set up in the parking lot of the New Sudbury Centre, close to Swiss Chalet, from 5:30 till 10 a.m. accepting those diaper drive-by donations.

“We are going to do the exact same thing next Friday the 18th, and our afternoon drive host, Matt Brown will be doing his afternoon show next Wednesday the 16th from this exact same location," he added.

The centre has already helped 700-900 families this year. That includes the Kingsley family. Mercy Kingsley has been accessing the centre ever since her daughter was born in March of last year.

“My baby is Pregnancy Cares baby because since I had the baby they have been so supportive," she said. "I don’t have any support here because I am new. I actually moved to Sudbury in December and had the baby in March."

Kingsley makes monthly visits to the centre to collect necessities for her child.

“Diapers, toiletries for the baby, skin care for the baby, clothing, cereals, formula when she was younger," she said. "The Pregnancy Care Centre has made this easier for me.”

Staff at the centre said they have been overwhelmed by the number of diapers the Diaper Drive brings in each year. They add the need this year is greater than ever before.

“This year what we’re seeing is we have more families coming in and more families registering,” said Dedee Flietstra, Infant Food Bank executive director.

"What we also see is that the families that used to come once a month previous years are now coming for their double visits, so they are needing a lot more support."

This year, the centre is asking for diapers ranging between sizes two and six. 

There will be two other collection dates for this campaign also at New Sudbury Centre on Lasalle Boulevard: 

Wednesday, Dec. 16 from 2 - 7 p.m.

Friday, Dec. 18 from 5:30 – 10 a.m.