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05/15/2024 08:30 AMOn June 22, Bare Necessities will host its annual Duck Dash for Diapers fundraiser that raises money to combat diaper need along the shoreline. Bare Necessities’ Vice President Nancy Popp is one of the people responsible for organizing the event.
Diapers may not be the first thing people think about when it comes to helping struggling families, but Nancy can point to several alarming statistics that highlight how large that need is
“It’s a big need. One in two families in Connecticut struggle to afford diapers. It’s a growing need too. In 2023 we provided 324,618 diapers and 379,202 wipes to 535 families,” Nancy says.
Bare Necessities was founded to combat diaper insecurity and annually holds the Ducky Dash which has become a tradition in Clinton.
“This is our one big fundraiser,” Nancy says.
For $5—enough to provide three days’ worth of diapers—participants get a ticket for a numbered rubber ducky that will be launched into the Indian River in downtown Clinton on race day. The first 20 ducks to cross the finish line will receive prizes.
“We’re really trying to turn it into a community event. It’s free to attend and besides the race we’ll have a DJ, arts and crafts, animals from Meigs Point Nature Center, yard games, and hotdogs and ice cream,” Nancy says.
The festivities will begin around 11 a.m., and the ducks will be launched around 1:15 p.m. The event will end around 2:00.
Tickets can be purchased by emailing bare.necessities.ct@gmail.com and paying @Bare-Necessities on Venmo.
Nancy first got involved with Bare Necessities about seven years ago.
“I got a call from two of the founders who are friends of mine and asked me to help out. It’s such a big need and a great cause. I was brought up to give back when I can so I said yes,” Nancy explains.
The organization serves families along the shoreline from Branford to Old Saybrook as well as inland in towns Deep River and Killingworth. Diapers are distributed at the Clinton Food pantry on the first Wednesday of the month.
“It’s a great group of people. Everyone works together really well. It feels good when you see families come through who have this need and how appreciative they are,” Nancy says of what she enjoys about working with the organization.
Besides Bare Necessities, Nancy has been a well-known volunteer in other community endeavors, such as serving as the president of the booster club at the high school and volunteering at the food pantry
The importance of volunteering is something Nancy says her parents instilled in her at a young age.
“My mom was very involved at St. Mary’s church and my dad helped start the Morgan Touchdown Club. It’s just something I was taught. You do the right thing, and you help out when you can,” Nancy says.
Even in her working life, Nancy seeks to help others. Thirty-one years ago, Nancy started Personal Pet Care Plus, a pet care service where she tends to pets when people are away.
“A lot of my clients are people that work long hours, so I go over and let the dogs out, feed them, take them for a walk, or if they’re away, I go over and take care of the house so it looks like people are there,” Nancy says.
Nancy started the business after working in the restaurant industry when a desire for something new hit her.
“I wanted to do something that allowed me to get outside, and I’ve always loved animals so it’s been a good fit,” she says.
Nancy grew up in Clinton, and besides a brief period when she lived in Old Saybrook, she has remained in Clinton because she says she enjoys the community. In her spare time, she can be found boating or traveling.
When it comes to her hometown, Nancy says while the scenery and beach are beautiful, there’s something else she likes even more.
“All in all, there’s a good sense of community here. People really step up when they need to. Especially the businesses which are really giving when people ask for donations. It’s just nice to live in a town where you go down the street and see people you know or go in a store and they know you too,” Nancy says.
For more information, visit the Bare Necessities website www.barenecessitiesct.org