First Lady Maria Lee Visits Bolivar to Promote Free Diaper Distribution
Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee visited Hardeman County on Monday, October 28, 2024, making a stop at Hudson Drug Store in Bolivar to distribute diapers and other infant necessitates to area families. The Diaper Benefit Event was a joint effort between TennCare and Mrs. Lee’s Tennessee Serves initiative, that focuses each month on a particular group to serve. This month was a focus on families.
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, Governor Bill Lee announced that TennCare, Tennessee’s Medicaid program, would start providing 100 diapers per month for children under two who are enrolled in TennCare or CoverKids healthcare coverage as part of his Strong Families Initiative.
“Strong families are the foundation for strong communities, and with our Strong Families Initiative, we’re taking bold steps to support families like never before by easing the financial burden on new mothers,” said Governor Lee. “Through responsible management of our TennCare program and the shared savings model, these crucial services will be provided at no additional cost to Tennesseans. Together, we’ll strengthen families and create a brighter future.”
With a focus on families, Mrs. Lee’s Tennessee Serves initiative honed in on the needs of families in distressed counties.
“One of the main focuses for the initiative is to serve distressed counties. Hardeman being a distressed county, we decided to come here to Bolivar and Hardeman for that reason, but also because the diapers are being distributed by pharmacies through TennCare, and Hudson Pharmacy is one of those distributors,” said Mrs. Lee, who hopes their effort will help alleviate some of the financial stress many families experience. “I hope we can help strengthen and support families. which I really feel like are the backbone of our communities. If we have strong families, it builds strong communities, which builds a stronger state, and our state thrives.”
Along with diapers, available to families attending the Diaper Benefit Event were formula, wipes, baby bottles, etc. Some of the organizations with information booths included United Way, Wellpoint, Optum, United Healthcare, and Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry to answer questions about the services offered to families beyond diapers.
The Diaper Benefit Event sent many families home with the necessities they were able to immediately use. Hardeman County resident Erica Freeman, who has a child through a kinship foster placement in her home, had 24 hours to prepare for the baby in her care.
“I received her five days old out of the NICU. Right now, we are trying to get everything started. Her case worker called and said they had the diapers for her and that is extremely going to help, because we had to buy everything and didn’t have nine months to prepare,” said Ms. Freeman.
TennCare is partnering with pharmacies across the state to ensure members have easy access to this benefit. To receive diapers, TennCare or CoverKids members may walk into any participating pharmacy and show their child’s OptumRx TennCare pharmacy card or provide their child’s social security number at the pharmacy. New parents waiting on a TennCare ID for their newborn may temporarily use their own TennCare pharmacy ID card or social security number. No prescription is required.
Along with Hudson Drug Store { 600 Nuckolls Road #1, Bolivar, 38008 }, families may also get diapers through Southern Express Pharmacy { 1355 West Market Street, Bolivar, 38008 }.
Pictures courtesy of the City of Bolivar and the Office of the First Lady.
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