#savethebabies: Help Children Rise out of Poverty

Locked in generational poverty. 

That’s how Dawn Hicks of the Focus on Babies Diaper Resource Center of West Plains, Missouri, describes the majority of the families they serve.

“Over the years as manufacturing jobs have been lost, we have seen low-paying service jobs become the mainstay for the majority of low-skilled workers in the area, leading to the difficulty of earning a living wage,” she said. 

“Working multiple jobs to make ends meet is common,” she continued. “Affordable childcare is hard to find and maternity leave is almost nonexistent. Eighty percent of students in the West Plains Schools qualify for free and reduced lunch. There is little access to public transportation and owning and maintaining a vehicle is an expense beyond the means of many, especially those who are earning minimum wage.”

Dawn connected with Jake’s Diapers late in 2018 to join as a Diaper Drop partner and extend their ability to serve the local Missouri families. Dawn said they had received about 20 cloth diaper kits in early 2016, and have wanted to expand that program since – but have not had the funds or resources.

“As of October (2018) we have distributed over 86,000 disposable diapers and we would love to get more cloth diapers to families to reduce the monthly need and to help our environment,” Dawn said. ““Using cloth diapers helps our local families to redirect funds that would be spent on disposables, besides being more environment-friendly.”

We’re happy to add Focus on Babies Diaper Resource Center to our list of Diaper Drop Partners and have already shipped products to the organization. Dawn said it’s already made an impact, and shared one comment from a recipient.

“I am a grandma, I have my granddaughter 4 to 7 days and nights per week,” the recipient said. ”I am disabled. Her dad is not well and lives with me, and money is tight.  This will help.”

About Our Diaper Drop Partners

Focus on Babies Diaper Resource Center is just one of our many Diaper Drop partners Jake’s Diapers features regularly to shed light on the stories of the people we serve in order to increase awareness about the impact a donation of hygiene products can have on a single individual.

Thanks for helping babies! 

~ Stephanie

It is a joy to introduce you to Cedar, a joyous silly child who calls our Diaper Drop Sarah's Covenant Homes home. We've been partnering with SCH for nearly 5 years now, providing cloth diapers to children with special needs who were previously abandoned; now living in foster style homes while they wait to be re-unified with their biological families or adopted into Forever Families. 

When Cedar, who is functionally blind and has Autism, first arrived at SCH in December 2009, he had been hospitalized on multiple occasions because he was so weak and was having difficulty eating. He was struggling to walk or even sit up.

Today, Cedar is known as the resident acrobat. He is known for his wild contortions and trapeze-like antics. At some point during the day, you’re bound to catch this sweetheart hanging upside down off of any elevated surface in the home. Cedar is giggly and tender-hearted--well beloved by the caregivers, teachers, and staff of Courage Home. Cedar is functionally blind and attends our on-site homeschool program, Anjali School for the Blind. Daily, this little guy is making excellent progress in his orientation and mobility by using his guide cane, sensory exploration, and communication skills.

Thanks for helping Cedar, and the other children at SCH! 

~ Stephanie