The Diaper Drive Does Make A Difference
As the cost of basic family needs rise and the challenges for families hits a staggering new level, more families cannot make weekly ends meet. They are making choices between groceries or medicine, a rent payment or car insurance, and diapers for their babies or purchasing a bus pass. More babies are left in wet diapers for hours at a time, and baby formula is being diluted with water so that it will go further.
Families once independent and surviving are now falling into an abyss they never imagined for themselves or their family. As a result, more families are seeking help from Homeward Bound and The Baby Diaper Drive. Read the stories below about some of our children who were able to make it out of the abyss.
Kevin's* Story
Four-year-old Kevin arrived at the Thunderbird's Family Village with his mother. His front two teeth were severely chipped due to being pushed by his father during an altercation between his parents. Kevin’s teeth required immediate dental care. His mother’s income exceeded the allowable limits for medical and dental care for Kevin by $12.01 per month. Baby Diaper Drive funds supported Kevin’s dental evaluation. He was then referred to a pro bono dentist who worked with Kevin and his mother. Fortunately, the teeth were baby teeth, and Kevin will now have a “normal” dental future.
Sammy's* Story
Five-year-old Sammy was living on the streets with an uncle while his mother was serving time for a drug-related charge. Sammy’s aunt requested and was awarded custody but she could not afford a safe, decent place for them to live. The aunt, barely out of her own childhood, was not financially or emotionally prepared to parent. Sammy was traumatized by various individuals while living in a variety of crack houses. Sammy’s aunt arrived at Homeward Bound with a commitment to Sammy. She has worked with the Kid's Corner and counseling staff to stabilize Sammy emotionally while she obtained stable employment. Sammy’s childcare, clothing, and counseling co-pays were subsidized by the Baby Diaper Drive emergency fund donations.
About Clancy*
Clancy entered the Homeward Bound program along with his school-age sister and mother. Clancy would not make eye contact with strangers and refused to speak the majority of the time. He was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as a result of severe domestic violence. On the few occasions, when five-year-old Clancy would speak, his words were almost imperceptible. With Baby Diaper Drive funds, Clancy has received speech therapy, which his mother had not provided for him because she could not afford the co-pays. Today, Clancy is a different child. He is more confident. He communicates with other children and his teachers. He is on his way.
(*not the children's real names.)
It's A Hand Up, Not A Handout
100% of any donation you make goes directly to the families at Homeward Bound. Allegra Marketing & Print and the Baby Drive Partners cover all expenses associated with the drive. Families in the Homeward Bound program are committed to changing their lives, and we are committed to helping them achieve self-reliance and break the cycles of homelessness, poverty, and violence. Homeward Bound is a 501(c)(3) organization and your donation is fully tax deductible.
A Homeward Bound Mom's Story
Imagine caring for twin toddlers and a new baby...with no diapers. A Homeward Bound mom talks about how the sudden loss of a job, a place to live, and the lack of money to buy diapers drastically changed her family's life.
