Dear Fellow Oregonians and Supporters,

Due to the economic impact of COVID-19, PDX Diaper Bank  is facing a dramatic increase in the need for emergency diapers. Families are struggling to purchase and access diapering essentials at this time.  Diaper Need  in Oregon has more than doubled, while diaper donations are down.  In order to serve more low-income children and families at this time, our programs are in need of additional support for bulk diaper purchasing as well as staff expansion.

Mission & Vision of the Organization 
In collaboration with a growing network of nonprofit and government partner agencies, PDX Diaper Bank provides no-cost diapering supplies to low-income and houseless families with young children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities living in Portland, Oregon and the surrounding areas. Diapers create opportunities - Everyone should have access to necessary diapers in order to live healthy and productive lives, as well as ease financial strain during the pursuit of personal, educational, and professional success. 
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How COVID-19 Is Impacting Diaper Need
Family need for diapering essentials has skyrocketed, while donations of diapers and wipes are down 90% due to government mandated business closures and social distancing measures. Diaper drive events have come to a halt, and many of our local business partners that accept diaper donations from members of the community are closed. As an organization, we are experiencing:  

>  50% increase in community diaper need, evident by a spike in urgent diaper requests from families, our 22 partner agencies, and new agencies seeking support. 

>  90% decrease in diaper donations due to a lack of diaper drives, business closures, and social distancing mandates. 

>  25% anticipated decrease to the annual budget due to postponing (and possibly cancelling) our 7th annual fundraising auction.

Why We’re Making These Changes Now 
As we all know, COVID-19 has deeply impacted our world. With so many families experiencing the loss of employment, diaper need is skyrocketing! PDX Diaper Bank’s services are critical, but with just two part-time staff members, simply handling day-to-day operations is more challenging than ever before. Even with the support of volunteers (limited at this time), we need more sustainable staff support to grow. Our new part-time staff member will focus on development work e.g. grant writing, fundraising, and more. Increasing our staff will enhance PDX Diaper Bank's capacity, foster the continued growth of the nonprofit, and its support of local partner agencies in order to get even more diapers out into the hands of families who truly need them. 
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Why We’re Asking for Support on GoFundMe 
Most of the current financial support that PDX Diaper Bank is receiving from foundations, businesses, and private donors is going directly to support increased bulk diaper purchasing due to the impact of COVID-19. Typically, PDX Diaper Bank purchases 50% of the diapers distributed to the community (150,000 in 2019 alone), while the remaining come from donations. Over the course of the next 12 months, however, the organization's diaper purchasing will likely DOUBLE in order to meet the increased need for diapers in the community due to the pandemic (far exceeding what was originally budgeted for). Your support will: 

>  Provide aid for additional bulk diaper purchasing in order to help stretch PDX Diaper Bank's overall budget in order to maintain and expand services.

>  Increase staff capacity for grant writing in order to support our current outreach for emergency supplies, as well as the long-term stainable growth of PDX Diaper Bank.

Thank You
Your support of PDX Diaper Bank at this critical time truly makes a difference. By increasing our diaper purchasing and expanding our staff, we can truly make an impact here in Oregon. No matter the size, your contributions truly make a difference in the lives of children and families in need. We hope that you, your families, and your friends stay healthy and safe. 

For additional questions about this project, or to learn more about diaper need and the efforts of PDX Diaper Bank,  please don't hesitate to reach out. Please visit their website for more information:  www.pdxdiaperbank.org  



PDX Diaper Bank's administrative office & classroom. Space recently made possible through funding from National Diaper Bank Network , Baby2Baby National Network , a donation in memory of Steven Maxwell (Kiwanis), and supporters like you.   
 

PDX Diaper Bank holds monthly cloth diapering workshops to support income eligible families. Parents receive all the cloth they need for their children in order to diaper sustainably. Thanks to amazing partnerships with InKind Boxes and GladRags, our families also receive other parenting resources and essentials. 


The Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington  (Troop #12059) hosted a diaper drive at their schools which collected 1,875 diapers to support local families in need.  


Due to the incredible support of SnowCap Community Charities , PDX Diaper Bank now has a permanent home for its diapering supplies prior to distribution. Not only does SnowCap provide diaper storage, but their wonderful warehouse staff/volunteers go above and beyond to support the mission of the diaper bank.   


PDX Diaper Bank Staff and Board at the 6th Annual Dining for Diapers Fundraiser Dinner & Auction in 2019.   From left to right: Sandy (Treasurer), Yelena (Member), Rachel (Founder & Executive Director), Sally (Vice-President), Angel (Member), Myranda (Director of Community Engagement), Karen (President). Not photographed is our newest board member, Dayspring. 


PDX Diaper Bank provides critical diapering supplies (of all kinds) to support infants, children, older adults, and individuals with disabilities.  Incontinence supplies are distributed to those in need through PDX Diaper Bank's  22 nonprofit and government partner agencies. 



PDX Diaper Bank
P.O. Box 22613, Portland OR 97269
www.pdxdiaperbank.org 
Creating Opportunities & Success through Diapers