Remarkable Women: Christina extending ‘small’ helping hand

MONTICELLO, Ill. (WCIA) — It can be hard to ask for help, but for people in need in Piatt County, they know exactly where to go.

There is a remarkable woman who has built a community staple many families rely on.

“I worked for the Illinois Family Violence Coordinating Council. I covered six counties. And so, through that work, with a lot of different law enforcement agencies and social service agencies, I saw the need for this kind of service,” says Christina Sanantonio.

A Small Hand Diaper Pantry – Piatt County Cares Inc., would not exist without her. It started back in 2013.

Thanks to her work, Christina learned supplying struggling families with the basics can do so much more than one might think.

Remarkable Women: Angel paving a path for kids

“Children were having to reuse disposable diapers. Parents were reusing them throughout the day. Those children [and] infants were getting diaper rash, of course, which made them incredibly fussy due to pain. And a fussy baby is more at risk for abuse,” she explains.

So, Christina put out a call on Facebook.

“I was given about $500 dollars by friends, and we were off,” she recalls.

Christina started handing out diapers from a small room the county provided. At that time, she distributed a couple hundred of them to a few families.

Remarkable Women: Jenette empowering women on and off stage

“Now, in 2023, we were over 40,000 diapers for the year,” she says.

Christina and her team of volunteers serve about 100 families a month, operating out of a small house owned by the city of Monticello.

“She’s probably about the most unselfish person I know. She’s very much an inspiration to do this kind of work,” says nonprofit board member and volunteer Cara Marcum.

The organization runs off donations and its partnership with Kirby Hospital. Kirby helps buy diapers at a reduced cost. They get them for about $3 dollars a box instead of the average $50.

“Each infant is eligible for up to 100 diapers a month,” says Christina. “Then, we prepackage the bags with lots and lots of staples.”

That includes food, clothing, sanitary products, and more. Eligibility is mostly based on income, but Christina extends a helping hand wherever needed.

“We have families that might look really good on paper financially, but they might be going through a crisis, a sickness, or a job loss, and we can help those folks as well,” she explains.

Families pick up by appointment time for a seamless process and to protect privacy.

“I think the social services background that she had through the state really kind of set the tone for just gently, kindly approaching and making people feel at ease and open,” says Marcum.

In return, Christina has seen the saying, “you get what you give,” first hand.

“I have never put out a request for a need for a family that hasn’t been met within an hour. That’s how generous the communities are,” says Christina.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com.