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Dear District 8,
March is Women's History month and, as co-chair of the Women's Caucus, I'm excited to share some of the ways council is celebrating.
First, we will be holding a special meeting of the Women's Caucus on March 17th at 2pm, and each council member will have a chance to recognize a woman who has impacted them. You can join us in chambers, or watch live on the Women's Caucus Facebook Page.
Second, the Women's Caucus--in conjunction with the Office for Women--are holding a diaper drive to support the St. Bernadette's Diaper bank. What do diapers have to do with women's history? More than you think.
As we celebrate women, it's important to acknowledge the barriers many women continue to face. For women who have children, access to diapers can be a major barrier to participation in the workforce. Diapers cost about $80/month/per child, and statistics suggest one in three families lack adequate resources to purchase sufficient diapers. St. Bernadette's--the only diaper bank in Kentucky--supplies diapers to 13 organizations. Despite their incredible work, St. Bernadette's has to turn organizations away because they simply can't meet all the need that exists.
Diaper need can be a barrier to employment for many families. Daycares require parents to send children with diapers, and when families can't afford diapers, parents can't go to work. One study showed that 56% of parents using childcare have had to miss work because they didn't have enough diapers to send with their children.
Investing in families yields benefits. One study showed that every dollar investing in providing families with diapers yielded $11 in personal income for that family. Meeting diaper need lets families go to work, to school, and do the things they need to in order to support their children.
So how can you get involved? We will be collecting diapers throughout the month of March at City Hall. You can drop them off in the lobby (in the big bin that says diapers on it!) during business hours.
Finally, a quick word about the Crime Victim Leave Ordinance Councilwoman George and I filed last week. This ordinance would provide paid leave to Metro employees who are victims of domestic violence and other crimes so that they are able to get the support they need. Leave time could be used for things like medical treatment, mental health care, consulting with a victims services organization, seeking a protective order, permanently or temporarily relocating, and more. We unfortunately know that domestic violence rates have risen over the past couple of years, and supporting survivors of domestic violence--the majority of which are women--has to be a priority. This ordinance is one small way to show that we stand with survivors.
As always, be in touch with any questions, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes,
Cassie
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