It’s Diaper Need Awareness Week (through Friday, Sept. 14), which calls attention to a disturbing statistic: Nearly 30 percent of low-income families cannot afford enough diapers to keep their babies clean, dry and healthy.
That was the finding of research newly published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study also found that mothers who cannot afford diapers exhibit more symptoms of depression and other mental health problems. Research shows that a mother’s mental health can have a profound effect on a child’s development.
“WestSide Baby is proud to serve families in King County, where we have given out over 366,000 diapers this year,” said Nancy Woodland, Executive Director. “We’re keeping babies clean, dry and healthy. We’re also giving parents the opportunity to work. Most childcare providers will not enroll children unless their parents provide a supply of disposable diapers.”
Governor Jay Inslee, along with King County Executive Dow Constantine and the Metropolitan King County Council and the Mayor’s office have all issued proclamations declaring this week, Diaper Need Awareness Week. Nancy Woodland, Executive Director of WestSide Baby and Renee Zimmerman, Executive Director of Eastside Baby Corner will attend a ceremony at the King County Council today, September 9th at 1:30 p.m. to be presented with the proclamation. Both Nancy and Renee will say a few words about the diaper need in King County and the focused efforts by each organization to meet the need of low-income families.
Despite the large number of diapers WestSide Baby distributes, the need is even greater, according to Nancy Woodland. “We’ve got a waiting list of social service agencies who want diapers for their clients. We’d love to support them, but it’s a question of resources,” said Nancy Woodland.
On Tuesday, September 10th, as part of our expansion to meet the need throughout King County, WestSide Baby will be distributing 10,000 diapers to Rainier Valley Food Bank. The new relationship between WestSide Baby and the Rainier Valley Food Bank will allow RVFB to provide its families with diapers along with the food and formula they are currently providing their families. This is our first step to expand our services into Rainier Valley, Ballard and the Central District.
“Diaper need is a huge issue that affects children’s health and parents’ ability to earn,” according to Joanne Goldblum, Executive Director of the National Diaper Bank Network. “We started Diaper Need Awareness Week in 2012 to call attention to this silent crisis, because we’ve seen that once people know about the problem, they are eager to help.”
To get involved in WestSide Baby, visit their website at www.westsidebaby.org or to get involved with Eastside Baby Corner visit their website at www.babycorner.org.
To learn more about diaper need nationally, visit the National Diaper Bank Network at www.diaperbanknetwork.org.
Side by Side Northwest is a partnership program between WestSide Baby and Eastside Baby Corner and is one of only six recent Regional Diaper Bank Affiliate designations made across the country by the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN). “The Side by Side Northwest program, created by these two agencies working together, taps into their combined strength, sustainability and efficiency, improving the health and safety of children in your community,” states Joanne Goldblum, NDBN Executive Director. WestSide Baby and Eastside Baby Corner have a long way to go to meet the 22 million diaper need, but these two thriving diaper banks have teamed up to address these issues around this need by providing more than 2 million diapers to children in need in King County over the next two years.
About WestSide Baby: WestSide Baby, in partnership with our community, provides essential items to local children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing and equipment. In 2012, WestSide Baby distributed more than $1.6 million in goods to children up to size 12 serving more than 22,000 local children. By partnering with over 80 established social service agencies, we are able to focus simply on the items children need to thrive while trained professionals can address other issues to give families a hand in a time of need. www.westsidebaby.org (206) 767-1662, 10032 15th Ave SW Seattle WA 98146
About Eastside Baby Corner: Now in its 23rd year, Eastside Baby Corner gives kids what they need to thrive by distributing almost everything kids, birth to age 12, need through a network of family-assistance agencies. Eastside Baby Corner (EBC) helps kids thrive by providing basic necessities for children so that EBC’s partners—schools, social service agencies, food banks, hospitals–can help families become stable, safe, housed, fed and employed. Volunteer-centered, EBC takes in donations of children’s clothing and goods from the community and purchases the absolute essentials for children: baby food, formula, car seats, port-a-cribs and diapers. As the vital safety net under family-assistance providers, EBC annually gives out more than 44,000 items, valued at over $3.8 million, for kids from birth to age 12 through almost every organization serving families in greater east King County. Founded by pediatric nurse practitioner, Karen Ridlon in 1990, EBC helps more than 500 children each week.