Junior League of New Orleans marks National Diaper Need Awareness Week with expanded community reach

Written By Alicia Vial

NEW ORLEANS – The Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) proudly joins organizations across the country in recognizing National Diaper Need Awareness Week, Sept. 15–21 – a nationwide campaign that draws attention to the growing issue of diaper need in the United States. This year, JLNO is celebrating 11 years of its Diaper Bank by setting a goal to collect 11,000 diapers during the week.

The effort comes as Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued a statewide proclamation recognizing National Diaper Need Awareness Week for all Louisiana diaper banks, and Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng awarded JLNO a Certificate of Merit in honor of its local impact.

Since its founding a decade ago, the JLNO Diaper Bank has distributed more than 10 million products and expanded to provide period supplies and adult incontinence products to local families. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the Greater New Orleans region, JLNO supports thousands of families every year with critically needed supplies, advocacy and volunteer power.

“National Diaper Need Awareness Week is an opportunity to spotlight urgent but often invisible challenges facing families,” said JLNO President Michelle Clarke Payne. “Through the Diaper Bank, we are committed to meeting immediate needs while also raising awareness and building partnerships that support dignity and stability in our community by providing diapers, period supplies and adult incontinence products.”

Research shows that one in two U.S. families struggles to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry, and healthy. When families cannot access hygiene products, they are often forced to make heartbreaking choices between buying diapers and paying for other essentials like food, rent or utilities.

In honor of National Diaper Need Awareness Week, JLNO invites the public to support its efforts year-round. Opportunities include hosting a product drive, donating diapers or volunteering at the JLNO Diaper Bank. To get involved, visit jlno.org/diaperneed.

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About the Junior League of New Orleans
Junior League of New Orleans is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to advancing women’s leadership for meaningful community impact in Greater New Orleans through volunteer action, collaboration and community investment. More information on the organization can be found at www.jlno.org.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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