Thanks to strong local community support, last weekend’s WestSide Baby’s 10th Annual Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive held at the West Seattle Farmer’s Market was a big success. 30,000 diapers were collected just that day from eager members of the community ready to help. Once donations come in from satellite drives, lemonade stands, sponsors and the encore “Stuff the Bus” Diaper Drive scheduled for Aug. 7th in Burien, we hope to far surpass last year’s total of more than 100,000 diapers. All these diapers will soon be distributed, free of charge, to children in need in the King County communities served by WestSide Baby.

Last year WestSide Baby distributed more than 200,000 diapers to local children. That number is expected to climb this year to nearly 350,000 and this amount still does not fill the need. Food stamps do not cover diapers and at approximately 23 cents each that can average $70 to $100 per month for a struggling family. “This most basic need should be as important to us all as putting food on the table,” remarked Executive Director Nancy Woodland. “WestSide Baby distributes more than 8000 diapers each week and we depend on community donations to help fill that need. We are so thankful to the community for donating diapers and cash donations at our Stuff the Bus events…their actions truly do make a difference in someone’s life.”

Rick Jump, Executive Director of the White Center Food Bank shared as he delivered his donation of Pull-ups, “WestSide Baby is the lifeblood of our Baby Pantry. We serve at least 150 families each week through the Pantry and the diapers collected here will make such an impact on local families in need.”

Over the past 10 years, individuals, families, clubs, church programs and other organizations in the Burien and West Seattle community and in Greater Seattle have collected diapers for the WestSide Baby diaper rally. The results help out all year long.

Missed the Stuff the Bus Diaper Drive in West Seattle but still want to donate? The yellow bus will be making another stop at Burien Town Square during “Hot August Nights” on Saturday, August 7th from 4:00-7:30 p.m. (of course donations can be made to WestSide Baby online anytime at www.WestSideBaby.org). Although this will be just the second year the yellow bus will make an appearance in Burien, Nancy Woodland, Executive Director of WestSide Baby, knows that the Burien community has a big heart and challenges them to "Stuff the Bus" with 50,000 diapers! “The bus will be empty, ready and waiting for thousands and thousands of disposable diapers,” added Woodland. “Drive or walk up, or even climb aboard with your diapers and know you’ve done something tangible to help a local family.”

This year, WestSide Baby is fortunate to have a corporate partner in Kimberly-Clark ‘s Huggies’ brand, on the heels of a large diaper donation to the organization in June as part of the Every Little Bottom program to help get diapers to babies in need. As the Exclusive Level Sponsor of the event, Huggies is solidifying its commitment to supporting the efforts of organizations like WestSide Baby. Nancy Woodland shares, “The issue of diaper deprivation is so pervasive and the need is so great that addressing it adequately will require the combined efforts of corporate support like this as well as individual donations by community members. While King County area babies are so fortunate that Huggies is supporting our event, filling the buses with diapers requires the actions of many. With the 10th Annual Stuff the Bus diaper drive, we hope to not only continue our programs of providing a 5-8 day supply of diapers to a family but, hopefully, to increase that number to provide more or to serve more children. “

About Huggies® Every Little Bottom
Huggies® Every Little Bottom has a single mission – to help get diapers to babies in need in the U.S. and Canada. The program was developed in response to a groundbreaking new study that revealed the critical issue of diaper need. Diaper need is the struggle to provide babies with diapers. Today, 1 in 3 American and 1 in 5 Canadian mothers struggle with diaper need, and have had to cut back on basics – food, utilities such as heat or electricity, or even childcare – in order to provide enough diapers for their babies. With the support of partner organizations, grassroots efforts and moms across the country, the program will build awareness of the issue and work to create a long-term solution.

Why diapers? Because a child that sits in the same diaper all day is vulnerable to diaper rash, infections, even abuse. The average newborn needs eight to ten diapers each day and the impact of rationing diapers means more diaper rash, unhappy babies and stressed parents. Why not cloth diapers? Most daycare centers require the use of disposable diaper for children, and most clinical settings, like crisis shelters, use disposable diapers for a combination of ease and sanitation. Studies also show the environment impact of sanitizing cloth diapers and using disposable diapers to be very similar. If parents can't afford the diapers that a day care center requires, they may not be able to take the very job that may help the family move out of crisis or poverty. Washing cloth diapers can be a burden on low-income families who have to travel to the laundromat after work, often with children in tow.

For more information: www.westsidebaby.org -- (206) 767-1662, 10032 15th Ave SW, Seattle WA 98146.

About WestSide Baby: WestSide Baby, in partnership with our community, provides essential items to local children in need by collecting and distributing diapers, clothing, toys and equipment. In 2010, WestSide Baby distributed more than $1.28 million in goods to children up to size 12 serving more than 15,000 local kids. By partnering with 94 established social service agencies, we are able to focus simply on the items children need to thrive while trained professionals can address other issues to give families a hand in a time of need.