Where does it go? Diapers edition

Baby and kids items are a frequent star of our featured category rotation. If you have small humans in your life you know how both vital and frustratingly ephemeral these items can be. Kids can quickly size out of existing supplies, and needs for different types of products, ingredients, and brands can suddenly change.

These challenges are exponentially compounded for families facing homelessness or housing insecurity, who often must make wrenching decisions about where to spend limited resources. Diapers in particular are in high demand - a baby can go through roughly 3,000 diapers per year, which costs up to $200 per month!

Diaper need is an even bigger issue than it may appear. Without diapers, parents cannot send children to childcare or early education programs, which significantly limits their ability to attend school or full-time work.

In Seattle we partner with Babies of Homelessness - a nonprofit response team that delivers basic needs (diapers, wipes, formula) to families with children experiencing homelessness in the Puget Sound region. This remarkable organization operates a 24/7 phone help line to field and assess the needs of families in our community, and delivers basic necessities within 72 hours, directly to the parents and caregivers who need them.

“Sometimes we receive criticism for what we do because we are not solving everything at once,” says Brittan Stockert, Babies of Homelessness executive director. “However, research has shown a huge correlation between the diaper needs of low-income mothers and maternal depression. Diaper need, even more than a lack of food, is a stressor that leads to hardships and mental health struggles. So if we can alleviate this problem, we, and the community, can continue to work on the rest.”

Babies of Homeless operates with a no waitlist, no referral, no red tape policy. Children’s needs are always the top priority, and BoH volunteers have served approximately 3,000 families in the Puget Sound area since 2016. They also partner with King County diaper banks and a broader network of agencies to expand their distribution and impact across the region.

Of course not all Ridwell members will have diapers, pull-ups, and wipes in their homes that are ready to pass on, but we sincerely hope that all who do will contribute to the incredibly important partnership, and helping families in need in our region.