Diaper Need Awareness Week - How Can You Help?

The National Diaper Bank Network and founding partner Huggies announced a study, Diaper Need and Its Impact on U.S. Families, revealing that one-in-three U.S. families (36%) continue to be in diaper need, or struggle to provide enough diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry and healthy.

The release of the study coincides with the kickoff of Diaper Need Awareness Week (Sept. 25 – Oct. 1, 2017), a signature initiative of the National Diaper Bank Network, which aims to generate attention, discussion, and action to help those in diaper need.  

New research includes:

• 65% of families are unaware that diaper banks offer diaper assistance in their respective community, even though the number of diaper banks has grown to more than 300 from 40 in recent years.
• Of families in diaper need, 3 in 5 parents (57%) miss work or school due to a lack of sufficient diapers required by childcare, day care or early education programs to care for a baby or toddler. As a result, parents experiencing diaper need missed an average of four days of work or school in the past month.

Diaper banks help address diaper need by collecting, storing and distributing diapers to families experiencing financial hardship. Local diaper bank programs obtain diapers through local drives, in-kind donations, and purchases of diapers with donated funds. 

How can you help?

• Support the National Diaper Bank Network and its member diaper bank programs by making a monetary contribution at nationaldiaperbank.org.
• Visit a local diaper bank or even host a diaper drive with your neighborhood, school or local organization.
• Huggies enables its rewards members to donate their Huggies Rewards Points to the National Diaper Bank Network by visiting Huggies.com/rewards.

 

 The National Diaper Bank Network has diaper banks in 47 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.

 

Here is the list of diaper banks in Texas:
• ArkLaTex Blessing Center, Inc. Texarkana, TX

• Austin Diaper Bank Austin, TX

• Baby Booties Diaper Bank McKinney, TX

• Babycakes and Brunch Houston, TX

• BCFS Health and Human Services Laredo, TX

• Bluebonnet Trails ECI Diaper Bank Round Rock, TX

• Cloth for Everybum El Paso, TX

• Community Link Saginaw, TX

• Fort Bend Diaper Bank Richmond, TX

• Galveston Diaper Bank Galveston, TX

• God’s Lovely Butterflies Maternity Home Houston, TX

• Henry-Smith Family, Inc. Palestine, TX

• Hope for You, Inc. Greenville, TX

• Hope Supply Co. Dallas, TX

• Houston Diaper Bank Houston, TX

• Loaves & Fishes of the Rio Grande Valley, Inc. Harlingen, TX

• NACC Disaster Services Houston, TX

• North Dallas Shared Ministries Dallas, TX

• North Texas Food Bank dallas, TX

• Tarrant Area Food Bank Fort Worth, TX

• Teen Mom Empowerment Foundation Houston, TX

• Texas Diaper Bank San Antonio, TX

• The Rebecca Foundation San Antonio, TX

• Waco Diaper Bank Hewitt, TX

 

To learn more about the study through a white paper or view an infographic summarizing these findings visit this link.

Wee Volunteer Opportunities in February

Wee Volunteer organizes fun, age-appropriate service learning projects for children to help local community organizations in need. Below is a list of their upcoming volunteer opportunities for February. Age suggestions are also included. For more information or to RSVP for any of these events, contact Michelle Chase at michellechase@weevolunteer.org.  

Friday, February 15th

4:00-5:30

Churchill Estates at Lake Highlands - 8550 Lullwater Drive - Dallas

Bring your little ones, dressed in their Valentine best, to spread some love with Mommy Manders! Wee Volunteers will decorate cards and sing songs for the elderly residents. Mommy Manders will have bells, scarves, and LOTS of Valentine's Spirit! Appropriate for children ages 12 months and up. Space is limited to 15 volunteers. A minimum donation of $10 per child to Wee Volunteer is required to cove the cost of the project.

Saturday, February 16th

10:00 -11:00 am

Corner of Sandhurst and Skillman

Wee Volunteers is partnering with the City of Dallas to Wipe Out Graffiti! Learn the importance of keeping Dallas beautiful from a city representative. Home Depot will provide paint and paint brushes and Wee Volunteers will do the rest.  Appropriate for children 5 and up. Space is limited to 15 children. This project is free of charge. A $15 donation per family to Wee Volunteer is encouraged to help pay for the project.

Monday, February 18th

10:15 am -12:15 pm

Meals On Wheels Volunteer Kitchen at 1440 W. Mockingbird Ln

Help Wee Volunteers deliver meals on LOCOMOTION PARTY BUS for Meals On Wheels. After the deliveries, you will tour the volunteer kitchen and learn about Meals On Wheels!  Appropriate for children ages 2 and up. Space is VERY limited! A minimum donation of $10 per person to Wee Volunteer is required to cover the cost of the project.

Monday, February 19th

4:00-5:00 pm

North Dallas Shared Ministries - 2875 Merrell Road in Dallas

North Dallas Shared Ministries' mission is to help low-income people assume as much responsibility for their lives as they are able. Since their founding, they have overwhelmingly relied on volunteers to fulfill their mission. Their volunteers enable them to devote well over 90% of their budget to client/ patient services. Wee Volunteer wants to help them fulfill their mission! Learn about the services NDSM provides to those in need, tour the food pantry and volunteer to help with a fun food pantry project. Appropriate for children ages 5 and up. Space is limited to 15 volunteers. The cost of this project is free. Please bring canned food to donate to NDSM.

Friday, February 22nd

4:00-5:00 pm

8320 Park Lane in Dallas

Our neighbors in Vickery Meadows are in need. Please join us at the Pebbles Apartments. We will learn about Vickery Meadows and the plight of the residents. Then Mommy Manders will host a Valentine's Sock Hop with fun music and dancing for our kids along with the kids living at the Pebbles Apartment Complex. Please bring new white socks for the kids living at Pebbles. Appropriate for children ages 3 and up.  Space is limited to 15 volunteers. A minimum donation of $5.00 per child to Wee Volunteer is required to cover the cost of the project. Please bring new white socks for the children living at the Pebbles Apartment Complex.