Diapers may seem like an ordinary product in the aisle of a grocery store and seen as just an item to be used and thrown away right after use. However, this is not the viewpoint of mothers who desperately need but can’t afford them. It is shocking to know that one in three families in America struggle to buy enough diapers for a baby. Disposable diapers and baby wipes cost around $100 per month per baby, because on average infants need around 12 diapers per day and toddlers need 8 per day. It breaks one’s heart to hear that the babies that remain in a soiled diaper for too long are exposed to serious health risks and trauma.[1]
Yet, there is a program in Colorado called “Builders for Babies” that sees desperate families who can’t afford the simple necessity of diapers and comes in to change their lives as they provide those items for them. Denver Area Youth For Christ connected with them through Julie Labbe, who is on our Board of Directors and has volunteered with Parent Life for the past two years, and who led Cherelle Cowan, our Director of Community Ministries, to fill out an application to receive the distribution of diapers.
“This is one of the best efforts that I’ve seen and been a part of,” said Cherelle afterward. Earlier this month over 200 volunteers helped load and distribute 9.3 million of baby essentials to care providers, who then deliver them to individual families. Of this amount, we got approximately 37,000 diapers, which will be a vital resource for roughly 1,480 babies!
All of this is done through HomeAid Colorado, which is an affiliation focused on offering support and service to those experiencing or on the brink of homelessness. While they are mainly focused on housing, there are several outreach programs to distribute other donations, such as “CareKits” for personal hygiene items, “Share the Warmth” for winter essentials, and a wonderful drive that we know of: “Builders for Babies.”
We are so thankful for their support and appreciate the difference they will make in the families’ lives we serve. “It seems like such a little thing—getting diapers—but it really is a huge thing and matters. It allows us to be an extension of the Lord and provide something that’s such a need for babies,” remarked Cherelle.
[1] https://www.homeaidcolorado.org/builders-for-babies
By: Christie Smith | Communication and Media Specialist