RCC’s New Charity Partner!
A lot goes in to choosing the charity partners for our $100 Mission – we want to go where we’re most needed, and where the contributions from our borrowers will go the furthest. It took longer than anticipated; however, we found a fantastic charity that fills a significant, yet uncommonly known need.
Our 3rd Quarter $100 Mission charity partner is PDX Diaper Bank, founded by Rachel Alston in 2012. When we met her, it was clear that her intense focus and organization is at the heart of a charity with long-term impact. PDX Diaper Bank currently partners with 14 government or non-profit agencies to provide diapers and diapering supplies to families in need. This includes programs that support teen parents, homeless families, individuals experiencing trauma, early childhood intervention, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. According to Rachel, the support of the $100 Mission project will allow PDX Diaper Bank to provide further outreach and services to families experiencing medical hardship.
Rachel started PDX Diaper Bank after researching to find that about 1 in 3 US families struggle to afford diapers for their children. She’s no stranger to diaper need herself – after the birth of her first child, Rachel remembers having to choose between milk and diapers – something she decided no other mother should have to do. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, she did the legwork to find that no government programs or non-profits in the area existed to fill this incredibly common need.
Diapers cost approximately $80-$100 a month per child, which is a considerable amount for low-income or struggling families. Those who can’t afford diapers often ration their supplies, either by excessively delaying the change of a diaper, re-using dirty diapers, or using alternative supplies – like paper towels and garbage bags – to hold them over until their next paycheck. This type of rationing is unbelievably common, and can have dire health effects for both the child and the family.
Not to mention the longer-term impact – as an example, teen mothers who can’t afford diapers can’t take their child to daycare, and must stay home or miss school to compensate. Something as simple as a pack of diapers can change a parent’s ability to continue working, attend school, or caring for other family members. It’s these long-term effects that Rachel and her volunteers are committed to impacting, both with the distribution of diapers and supplies, and community education on the consequences of diaper need. We’re so glad we can help her cause!
Join us in celebrating PDX Diaper Bank’s ongoing hard work! Be sure to stay tuned for updates.
Click the links below for more information.
CLICK HERE to visit PDX Diaper Bank’s website (and find out how to help)