Collecting Diapers for Central Jersey with Less Than 2 Weeks To Go

We’ve partnered with the Central Jersey Diaper Bank and there are just a couple of weeks left to help our neighbors in need of diapers. We began our diaper drive to collect hundreds or thousands of diapers plus baby formula and baby wipes to help those right here in our Central Jersey community.

The Anshe Emeth Community Development Corporation’s mission is to provide “free social and health-related services to the neediest in our community, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, ability, age or gender.” One of those services is providing much-needed free disposable diapers to families in Central Jersey through the Central Jersey Diaper Bank.

The Central Jersey Diaper Bank is one of the programs of the Anshe Emeth Community Development Corporation. It serves our neighbors in Middlesex and Somerset Counties. They provide “free disposable diapers, wipes, formula, and baby clothing.”  They also offer car seats and strollers when possible. These specific items are provided because of the need to keep babies and young children healthy and safe.

The Diaper Bank depends mostly on its volunteers. If you would like to join their Delivery Squad click here. Your help is needed to prepare bundles of clothing, assist with donation pick-ups, or maybe host a diaper drive. The CJDB is located on Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick.

Magic 98.3, St. Peter’s University Hospital, and Magyar Bank have partnered with the Central Jersey Diaper Bank for our inaugural Diaper Drive.

I spoke with Heather Nover, the Executive Director of the Anshe Emeth Community Development Corporation and Central Jersey Diaper Bank about the diaper drive. Heather shared, "Diaper need is a massive issue in this country affecting around forty-seven percent of families nationwide. It's a real issue that has a big impact on families. When a family doesn't have a diaper some of the most basic things you can think of like going to work become impossible. Because if you don't have a diaper to send your child to daycare then you can't go to work. It creates a cycle that's really hard for families and we like to help break that cycle and give a little bit of relief that then turns into a better situation all around."

Check out our latest conversation with Heather here...

We’re collecting donations now through Friday, May 31^st. If you can help, we ask that you drop off new boxes of diapers or other baby essentials like formula or baby wipes at the Magic 98.3 studios at 78 Veronica Avenue in Somerset.

You can also donate by dropping off items at any area Magyar Bank Branch. Magyar has locations in Branchburg, Bridgewater, Tano Mall in Edison, Inman Avenue in Edison, South Brunswick, North Brunswick, and their Corporate Headquarters in New Brunswick.

You can also make a monetary donation here or check out the Amazon Wish list to donate.

Naming your baby is such a special moment. There's lots of attention that goes into finding that just-right first name, but don't forget about the middle name. A great middle name can really make that baby's moniker. Actually, my first name, Anne, is a very popular middle name. But, I'm not too upset about it. So, what are the most popular middle names for babies?

There's a new study out from Baby-chick.com that lists the most popular middle names for babies. "While choosing the perfect first name for your child is essential, picking a middle name can be significant, too," the publication notes. "It can carry significance and become a huge part of their identity." You might want a traditional middle name, or you might want something more modern. To help, Baby-chick.com has put together a list of some very popular baby names for boys, girls and gender-neutral ones, too.

If you're wondering about the history of middle names, it began during medieval times. Moreover, according to Ancestry.com, for centuries in Europe, a legal name had just a first name and a surname or patronymic, and middle names became popular in late Medieval times. "In England, they were reserved for the nobility, with an old law making them illegal for the rest of the population," Ancestry.com states. "Since the Pilgrims and many early settlers came from England, early Americans followed the tradition of having only two names." They add that you can see this phenomena via the early Massachusetts birth records on Ancestry.com. Looking at the Boston data in their database, there were no middle names in the 1600s, but some middle names started showing up in the early 1700s. I personally love having a middle name. It adds character.

Let's get into the most popular middle names for babies. Maybe these will give you an idea if you're naming a little one soon.

My name is actually the most common middle name for girls. Should I be upset? Not sure, but I've always liked my name, so I'm not mad about it.

Here are the 10 most common middle names for girls via Baby-chick.com, and find their full list here.

1. Ann or Anne
2. Anna
3. Catherine
4. Elizabeth
5. Faith
6. Grace
7. Hope
8. Jane
9. Jean
10. Joy

Here are the 10 most common middle names for boys via Baby-chick.com, and find their full list here. These surprise me, because they do seem like popular first names, too.

1. Andrew
2. Anthony
3. Benjamin
4. Christopher
5. Daniel
6. Edward
7. Elijah
8. Henry
9. Jack
10. John

Baby-chick.com also has some suggestions for "cute" baby middle names for boys and girls. The ones that top the list are Alice, Bella (love that one), Claire, Coco and Eloise for girls, and Beckett, Caleb, Connor, Easton and Hartley for boys.

The top three cool baby middle names for girls, according to Baby-chick.com, are Arya, Honor and Jade, while the top three cool baby middle names for boys are Ace, Ajax (never heard of it) and Apollo. The top three unique baby middle names for girls are Avalon, Birdie and Gratia, and the top three unique baby middle names for boys are Angelo, Ansel and Blaze.

If you want to keep your baby's name gender-neutral, or if you don't want anyone to know the birth gender of your new baby secret up until the birth, then you might want to go with a gender-neutral name. The top five are Aubrey, Billie, Blake, Blue and Dakota. Find more ideas here.