This project is shared by Yellowstone Valley LFL Chapter #331, Billings, Montana, with a special “thank you” to Angie Ebel, President of the Yellowstone Valley Chapter, who provided valuable details for this article.
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God” (Hebrews 13:16).
Diaper drives are a wonderful project that many Life Advocates, Life Teams, Life Chapters, and individual congregations have been holding for many years. These collected diapers often go to pregnancy resource centers for distribution to those who come to the centers for help and choose life for their baby.
The Yellowstone Valley Life Chapter has developed a program that takes this to the next level:
Providing diapers to individual families for three years!
This diaper project started in 2016 when LaVie Health (the local pregnancy resource center) referred “Rachel” to the Life Chapter. From this first gift of diapers to one mom has come their current program of providing diapers to three families for a three-year period.
“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).
The Life Chapter members choose the recipient families, and there is usually a connection through LaVie Health or through one of the members. The Life Chapter has members from four or five congregations in their LCMS circuit, which gives them a chance to help many families. The Life Chapter does not publicize the names of the recipients to the congregations, but they do mention them by name in their Life Chapter meetings.
If funds allow, diaper donations can include multiple sizes to one family. They are currently supporting a family where the oldest child just “aged out,” and a new sibling is arriving soon. They also helped a family where the child needed diapers beyond the age of three because of developmental issues. They were able to continue helping this family a while longer as they did not have a new family in the lineup at the time.
This year, for the first time, they held a diaper drive/fundraiser at each of their Life Chapter congregations in January during Life Sunday. People brought diapers and wipes and gave cash donations to purchase diapers. They received twenty-five boxes/packets of diapers, two boxes of wipes, and $1,070 in funds. This event worked so well, they will probably continue to use a diaper drive to raise the needed funds. Diaper purchases cost them about $100 per month.
They provide one large box of diapers (depending on the size of diaper, which is anywhere from 96-130 diapers) and a pack of wipes once per month to each family. Any diaper needs beyond that are up to the family to purchase. The families are happy to take whatever is provided as it covers a variety of needs. Since they support only three families at a time, there is no need for a spreadsheet, but they do have an amazing diaper coordinator, Cindy Ewen. She stores the diapers and buys needed diaper sizes that are not in storage. She asks the members/volunteers delivering the diapers what sizes are needed that month and then brings them to the Life Chapter’s monthly meeting.
It is usually the same volunteer who delivers to a specific family. Angie stated:
It is not a “drop and go” service. They try to build a relationship with the family (usually the mom) and encourage them and support them with any questions about motherhood and parenting that they have. Some families request home deliveries, and some pick them up at a church to ensure a neutral location. It depends on what works best for the mom and the volunteer. If the regular volunteer cannot deliver that month, then another Life Chapter member steps in to help. Good communication and servant hearts make this program work.
This past year, the Life Chapter expanded their program to include one frozen meal with their monthly gift of diapers and wipes. The source of the meals varies from month to month. Sometimes it is a couple of the Life Chapter members. One church’s LWML group did it for a couple of months, and another church’s women’s Bible study group is providing for one month. Whoever is providing the meal prepares three identical meals, one for each family. The cooks do not know who receives the meals, but they know the size of the families and the ages of the children. (Currently, they serve no persons with dietary restrictions or allergies, but that is something to always consider when providing meals.) The meals are delivered to the volunteer who also delivers the diapers.
The Life Chapter has prepared a handout with simple guidelines that are given to the group preparing the meals. Important details: put the meal in a 9 x 13 pan that doesn’t need to be returned, include a label that describes the contents of the meal and how to cook it, and include the recipe in case the family wants to make it again in the future.
One last addition to the gift of diapers and a frozen meal was a children’s book. The Life Chapter was given several boxes of used children’s books. Ladies at an LWML rally wrote encouraging notes and Bible verses in them, and the books were added to the diaper gifts. The diaper coordinator chose the books and reviewed them for content. They are now out of books, but for those of us interested in this project, a regular drive for quality children’s books is something to consider. (Arch Books® from CPH are always good—www.cph.org/c-2841-arch-books—but there are many other good choices.)
Perhaps the most important question asked was, “What kind of feedback have you received?” Angie’s answer was heartwarming:
Some of the families have sent written correspondence of thankfulness. Some have attended one of our meetings so the Life Chapter members can meet who they have been supporting, and the receiving family can meet who has been caring for them. We have a meal together before our meetings, so when one of our “diaper families” joins us, it is like inviting them to our “family dinner.” We have an awesome Life Chapter with loving hearts and servant hands.
Thank you to the Yellowstone Valley Life Chapter for giving all of us wonderful ideas to make our diaper drives more personable and impactful.