#savethebabies: Help Children Rise out of Poverty

Cloth diapers are offering a layer of comfort for a pair of sisters and their young children, separated from their husbands and dads as the conflict in Ukraine continues. 

Claudia Pardo is hosting the Ukrainian refugees in her Switzerland home. Some Ukranians working at the United Nations created a nonprofit to connect hosts and refugees, and when she found out she applied. 

“They are from Kyiv. They left when the bomb/war started,” Claudia wrote. “The dads wanted them to be safe.  They left and spent days/weeks moving around in Europe (Poland, Romania, Bulgaria). Once I confirmed I could host them, they came here.”

The group includes the two sisters and their 3 children, all ages 2 and younger. Their husbands and parents are still in Kyiv, as men ages 18 to 60 years old are not allowed to leave Ukraine unless they have more than 4 children or have disabilities, Claudio explained.  

“They feel grateful to be here and safe, but guilty they can have peace while the rest of their family/friends are under conflict,” Claudio said, adding that the uncertainty of the conflict takes its toll, too. “The moms are always very anxious until they can have the daily call with family at home to make sure they are still alive/good.”

Claudia reached out for cloth kits from Jake’s to ease the financial burden of diapers on the group. There was a transition getting used to the new material and cloth process, but Claudia said it has already made a difference. 

“They still don’t feel comfortable wearing cloth when they go out, but are getting there bit by bit!  So far, it’s been really helpful given the high costs of diapers!” she wrote. 

As the conflict continues, its unclear how long these refugees will need to continue sheltering in Claudia’s home. She said they use Google translate to overcome language barriers, and have adjusted to the extra activity that an additional 5 people brings to one home.

“It's really difficult for them to go from having completely independent lives to feel like a burden.  The amount of times they don't want to interfere and be discreet is amazing.  One of the moms shares a queen bed with the 2 year old and the girl falls off the bed multiple times in the week (although I added a bed rail) so when I suggested to add a mattress on the floor or a toddler bed for her, she said ‘I rather be awoken by the cries of my child because she fell off the bed than because we are being bombed.”

Links:

• Like Jake's Network of Hope on Facebook
• Follow Jake's Network of Hope on Instagram

As Jake’s continues to grow, we want to shed light on the diversity of the impact we make. Our partners include 501c3, school-based and faith-based groups that serve a diverse set of community needs, from foster care to afterschool programs, family needs and domestic abuse shelters, refugee work, poverty support, cancer patient programs and more. 

These collaborations mean partners can re-allocate time and money to instead focusing on their programs, while meeting human needs in the community. 

Today we are highlighting our partnership with Lakeshore Foster Families, a Manitowoc County based, all-volunteer 501c3 that supports “foster and kinship children and the families who care for them by raising awareness and providing resources and support,” according to its website. In 2021, the program served 55 foster families and 170 children in foster homes.

Among the items foster families require are often, of course, diapers as well as feminine hygiene products. Lakeshore Foster Families and Friends receive diapers, pullups, wipes, and feminine hygiene products from Jake's. 

“Without this service, we would only help supply these items one time to new placements,” said Board President Molly Stolp. “This has had a huge impact on our families. In 2021, through this program, we were able to supply 706 packages of diapers, pullups, or feminine hygiene products. We are grateful.”

Foster families echoed the help our partnership provides. Here’s just a few words from foster families in the program: 

"We foster two children and this has helped offset monthly expenses. It makes fostering less burdensome financially.”

"It is one less thing that I have to worry about buying every month and every little bit helps.’

"Being able to give our foster kids the same love and support as our biological children.”

Links:

• Like Jake's Network of Hope on Facebook
• Follow Jake's Network of Hope on Instagram