#savethebabies: Help Children Rise out of Poverty

“When roots are deep, there is no need to fear the wind.” refugee and recipient diapers from Jake’s programs

Moving to a new home is exhausting and overwhelming. In many circumstances, relocation is forced and unexpected – adding to the challenges. 

Recently, Jake’s has been able to help a refugee to the area through its Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank and in partnership with Parent Connection of Family Services NEW.

Kenlin Grams shared this story: 

This parent is a refugee and often struggles to communicate her needs and advocate for herself. Recently, she has begun making her own phone calls, responding to letter, and asking for help when she needs it. She was able to pay off bills with the help of a financial agent, because she never gives up.

During the last month, this parent has received 3 packages of diapers because she cannot afford both diapers for home, as well as diapers for daycare. Without the help from Jake’s Diapers, she would struggle immensely keeping up with her child’s diaper needs.

This parent is so exuberant and full of life! She will be the first person to give a hug and the last person, too; she always wants to make sure people know how loved they are.

This parent always carves out time for self-care. When she is having a rough day, she paints her nails and makes herself a family recipe for comfort. She always expresses gratitude in times of hardship and often says, “when roots are deep, there is no need to fear the wind.”

January through October this year, we’ve supplied 302,694 disposable diapers to 6,741 babies in need.

Links:

• #GivingTuesday campaign

Jake’s partners with community nonprofits to distribute hygiene products, including diapers, to people in need. This is a rural area pilot project in Green Lake County.

People living in poverty in rural areas typically face unique challenges due to a lack of resources and inability to reach existing resources. Recognizing the scarcity of options for families in need, Jake’s Network of Hope partnered with Green Lake County Health and Human Services and Children’s Wisconsin Start Right program to provide parents in poverty with much needed diapers for their littles.

We launched our project to serve Green Lake County in early 2021, and started delivering diapers in February. Currently our partnership is serving 33 families. 

Here’s a bit more about the impact this has made, from both our partners: 

Green Lake County Health and Human Services: 

Our partnership helped a young mom keep her second child after the of her child was using drugs and went to jail. The mom, now a single mother, is also struggling with mental health issues. Her first child (of a different father) is now living with the father’s family. 

She enjoys working with her case worker to manage her mental health issues and is now trying to do well for her baby boy. She has no income and lives in low income housing. Her caseworker is helping her apply for disability because of her mental health issues. She’s almost done with the caseworker, but they are hoping to transition her into a new program to continue getting help. 

Start Right program

A family that just registered to the program, only Spanish-speaking and the mother is an 18-year-old with a 5-month-old baby. She is going to be starting to work but she wasn’t working because of the baby, so they really needed diapers and wipers. Diapers are so expensive and babies run out of diapers really fast. She lives with her boyfriend, a stepdad, both as first-time parents. 

This is a pilot project made possible by funding from the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation. Their generous gift does not cover all expenses related to this work. Consider giving a donation as part of our Circle of Change to make a lasting difference, and give diapers to families in need.