Byron First Graders collect 12,000 diapers for Jeremiah Program

Through a school-wide initiative, the students collected 12,000 diapers to support the Jeremiah Program, which helps single mothers and their families disrupt generational poverty.

The Jeremiah Program provides housing, education and life skills training to empower single moms and create brighter futures for their children. Diapers are a critical need for families in the program, and Byron’s first graders stepped up in a big way.

Principal Abe Rodemeyer praised the effort, saying, “Developing the character of our students is an important value throughout the Byron School District. When kids learn to put others first, they grow into kind, caring citizens. This diaper-raising project is a product of that. Way to go, first grade!”

The project began as a classroom discussion about helping others and quickly grew into a community-wide campaign. Families, staff and local businesses joined in, donating boxes of diapers to meet the ambitious goal. Teachers say the experience taught students not only about generosity but also about the real-life challenges some families face.

For the Jeremiah Program, these donations mean relief for mothers working hard to build stable lives. For Byron’s first graders, it’s a lesson in empathy and action, one that will stick with them far beyond the classroom.