Changing Diapers Changing Lives Award recipient Melissa Ward from St Luke's Unique Families Program
Community Diaper Drive held at Expo Idaho during Baby Palooza/Girls Day Out.
St. Agnes Catholic Church in Weiser, Idaho, selected the Idaho Diaper Bank as the recipient of funds raised by the children of the church K-6th Grade during Lent, which was March 1st through April 15th -- 46 days.
Under the leadership of Vickie VanNess, Religious Education Directress, and through prayer, the children collected monies and placed their allowance and financial gifts in Idaho Diaper Logo containers purchased with Thrivent Action Team Dollars. The children learned the importance of sharing and giving to those in need in their community, and they helped make a difference to low-income families living in poverty to a supplemental supply of diapers for their babies.
The children raised around $400 which will allow the Idaho Diaper Bank to purchase over 1500 diapers which will help 76 babies with a one-week, supplemental supply of diapers.
St. Agnes Catholic Church is a Idaho Diaper Bank Partnering Distribution Organization where families living in Washington County and Adams County can come to the Church Food Bank each week to receive diapers for their babies.
BOISE, Idaho – Saint Alphonsus Women’s Healthcare Fund donated $2,000 to the Idaho Diaper Bank this month. The Women's Healthcare Fund provides community-minded women with the opportunity to fund and direct the expansion of quality healthcare projects and education to organizations and groups that work to support women and children in crisis.
“Generous donations from supporters like the Saint Alphonsus Women’s Healthcare Fund make our mission possible,” said Shawna Walz, Idaho Diaper Bank executive director. “The Idaho Diaper Bank can’t help Idahoans without the help of our incredible partners. When we get donations like this one, we know that together our community can help babies across the Treasure Valley stay clean, dry, and healthy.”
The Idaho Diaper Bank now provides diapers to over 40 distribution organizations such as churches, domestic violence shelters, food pantries, WIC programs, and Nurse Family Partnerships. Distribution centers are located throughout Idaho, including more rural areas such as Payette, Mountain Home, Donnelly, and Pocatello.
“We know that providing for a family can be hard and often expensive, so the Women’s Healthcare Fund is pleased to support the Idaho Diaper Bank in its efforts to help eliminate that financial stress and allow families in need to focus on meeting their most basic needs,” said MaryAnn Murdoch, chair of the Saint Alphonsus Women's Healthcare Fund. IDB aims to serve more than 2,500 families per month or 30,000 families each year. More information on distribution centers and information on donations is available at www.IdahoDiaperBank.org.
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By focusing on diaper need, the Idaho Diaper Bank (IDB) works to meet the basic needs of children and families. The IDB provides diapers, diapering supplies and advocacy to families in need through partnership agencies. These agencies serve infants and families including childcare centers, crisis nurseries, domestic violence shelters, food pantries and faith-based organizations. Idaho Diaper Bank seeks to engage Idaho communities to recognize that diapers are a basic need, along with food and shelter.
Shawna Walz, executive director of the Idaho Diaper Bank, recognized with Mother of Achievement
BOISE, Idaho – The Idaho Diaper Bank is honored to recognize its executive director, Shawna Walz, for being awarded the 2017 Mother of Achievement in Idaho and nationally by American Mothers, Inc.
Governor Otter will present Walz with the award on Thursday, March 9 at 10:30 a.m. in his office at the Idaho State Capitol. In April, Walz will travel to Washington D.C. where she is one of only four women who will be presented with the national award.
“It is an honor beyond belief to be awarded with these distinguished titles. My family is my everything, and I know what it is like to raise two wonderful boys. It isn’t always easy, and so I started the Idaho Diaper Bank to help families in communities all across this state. It is incredible to be recognized with such a great award, and it shows that the work we are doing is getting noticed and really helping families,” said Walz. “It is also an incredible honor to be given an award that on a national level was founded by great historical women including one of my personal heroes, Eleanor Roosevelt!”
The Idaho Association of American Mothers and the Association of Mothers, Inc. are champions for women in honoring education and serving mothers at home, work and around the world. Nationally the organization is committed to valuing mothers through service and education, an honor bestowed to women since 1935.
Walz is a fourth-generation Idahoan. She attended Boise State University and played on the first women’s golf team. She then earned her MBA from The George Washington University and went on to hold senior roles at Nike. Walz is proud of the accomplishments at Nike including making significant strides to launch a Global Women’s Leadership Council which impacted women around the world via mentoring, reverse mentoring, intergenerational dialogues, and opportunities to lead from the inside out.
Today, Walz focuses her efforts on Idaho babies living in poverty or low-income families to ensure they have access to reliable supplies of clean and dry diapers. She established Idaho’s first and only statewide diaper bank and works with her board of directors and community leaders, agencies and organizations to distribute diapers to babies in need.
“When you think about what families need most, we often forget about diapers. They are the hidden consequences of poverty but are essential to a child’s wellbeing and healthy development,” said Walz.
55 percent or roughly 35,000 Idaho children under the age of three live in poverty or come from low- income families. There is zero assistance for diapers, even from programs designed to help families like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, commonly known as Food Stamps), or through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
Idaho Diaper Bank was named recipient of donated diapers at the 2017 ServeIdaho Conference in Boise. Lt. Governor Brad Little welcomed guests on the second day of the Conference for Nonprofit Administrators and Volunteer Coordinators, for General Attendees, and for Professional Development by stating the importance of individual volunteers and business leadership in our state to oversee philanthropic campaigns and messaging. This year's Conference focused on promoting adult volunteerism by taping into their skills and their professional and business knowledge to assist Idaho Nonprofit Organization's mission and causes.
There are some really great efforts happening around the United States to help ensure that babies get the healthiest start to life possible. Tune in or join some of these events this week!
A few happening this week—near and far:
Like many fellow Americans, with the swearing in of President Trump as our 45th President, I find myself contemplating (and praying) about the state of our future. And that future begins with the 4 million babies (that's right FOUR MILLION babies!) who will be born during Trump's first year in office.
To help spark the conversation, I encourage you to read the proposed Infant-Toddler agenda for the Congress and Administration proposed by our friends at ZERO TO THREE.
As cited in their report:
"The science is clear: Investments in the future must start with babies. To build the nation’s economy, create a skilled workforce, and establish safer, more caring communities, comprehensive and holistic policy solutions need to be in place, starting on day one. While no single policy can meet every child’s needs, investments that address the interrelated needs of young children will achieve the greatest return and impact. Four million future scientists, teachers, doctors, mechanics, and athletes are counting on it."
Together, Let's wipe Out #DiaperNeed and help strengthen Idaho families!!
Photo Credit: Associated Press
EAGLE, Idaho – The media is invited to join Albertsons representatives and the Idaho Diaper Bank at the Albertsons store on 4700 N. Eagle Road – between Eagle Road and McMillian Road at 2:30 p.m. today, Wednesday, January 18, for a $2,000 financial contribution and 34 cases of diapers.
“We are a relatively new non-profit, so donations from established organizations and businesses like Albertsons show that we are getting noticed and more Idaho families are getting help. We are grateful for this significant contribution. On average, babies need 10 diapers a day, and that can quickly add up to more than $100 a month, per child. This money will go a long way and help keep a lot of babies dry, and their parents will be able to spend their money on other things like food and clothes,” said Shawna Walz, executive director of the Idaho Diaper Bank.
55 percent or roughly 35,000 Idaho children under the age of three live in poverty or come from low-income f
Diapers are expensive. When people can’t them, there’s a ripple effect. Families cannot leave their children in day care. Older adults who need them can become secluded.
Shawna Walz recognized this need and founded a nonprofit to meet it. The Idaho Diaper Bank provides diapers to any Idahoan of any age who needs them.
The bank is volunteer-run with a small budget, but it is having great impact because of its connections and expertise.
In 2015, the diaper bank received grants that helped it expand into rural Idaho, where low-income families lack access to Costco, Walmart or other large stores that sell diapers at discounts. The bank works with 40 partner agencies, including homeless shelters and food pantries, to distribute diapers. It has a warehouse in Meridian and has begun working with manufacturers to ship diapers directly to rural areas.
Walz, the executive director, answered questions. She worked for 12 years at Nike in senior positions before found
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