High demand leaves charity with diaper shortage
AUBURN, Wash. -- A box of disposable diapers can go for nearly $40 and a lot of families these days simply don't have it.
Sara Byers is one mom who is having trouble keeping diapers on hand.
"If I scraped the change jar, I probably have $8," she said.
It's not enough to feed her six children.
"Everything was going in the right direction and then one day you get a phone call -- no job," she said.
Before the layoff, Sara and her husband still lived paycheck to paycheck. Now they depend on the Children's Home Society for family basics.
"Laundry soaps, dryer sheets, toothpaste, kids toothpaste," she rattles off.
But the cupboards of diaper donations there are nearly bare.
"We have no (size) fours and fives and we have a few threes," said John Nagaele with the Children's Home Society. "Donations aren't down but diaper demand has risen dramatically."
Children's Home Society has handed out nearly 30,000 diapers since May.
"It is very important come here to get the diapers," said Hilda Yepez, " 'cause I know when I get them, the money I was gonna use for those diapers, I can use for food."
Supplies are so low, there's a 10 diaper limit. Staff suspects families are stretching diaper use longer than they'd like.
"It's devastating," Nagaele said. "It's really difficult to tell a family we don't have anything for them."
Byers says there's nights when she and her husband just shake their heads.
"What are we gonna do? How are we gonna figure it out?" she said.
CHS is seeking donations of diapers, wipes, baby formula, and personal hygiene items -- anything to assist families reaching out for help.
"It's hard, I gotta do what I do for my kids," she said.
You can drop off donations weekdays at the Children's Home Society in Auburn or North Seattle:
Auburn Family Resource Center
4338 Auburn Way N
Auburn, WA 98002
253-854-0700 Ext. 2558
North Seattle Family Center
3200 NE 125th Street, Suite 2
Seattle, WA 98125
1-800-456-3339
More information is also available at www.childrenshomesociety.org
Sara Byers is one mom who is having trouble keeping diapers on hand.
"If I scraped the change jar, I probably have $8," she said.
It's not enough to feed her six children.
"Everything was going in the right direction and then one day you get a phone call -- no job," she said.
Before the layoff, Sara and her husband still lived paycheck to paycheck. Now they depend on the Children's Home Society for family basics.
"Laundry soaps, dryer sheets, toothpaste, kids toothpaste," she rattles off.
But the cupboards of diaper donations there are nearly bare.
"We have no (size) fours and fives and we have a few threes," said John Nagaele with the Children's Home Society. "Donations aren't down but diaper demand has risen dramatically."
Children's Home Society has handed out nearly 30,000 diapers since May.
"It is very important come here to get the diapers," said Hilda Yepez, " 'cause I know when I get them, the money I was gonna use for those diapers, I can use for food."
Supplies are so low, there's a 10 diaper limit. Staff suspects families are stretching diaper use longer than they'd like.
"It's devastating," Nagaele said. "It's really difficult to tell a family we don't have anything for them."
Byers says there's nights when she and her husband just shake their heads.
"What are we gonna do? How are we gonna figure it out?" she said.
CHS is seeking donations of diapers, wipes, baby formula, and personal hygiene items -- anything to assist families reaching out for help.
"It's hard, I gotta do what I do for my kids," she said.
You can drop off donations weekdays at the Children's Home Society in Auburn or North Seattle:
Auburn Family Resource Center
4338 Auburn Way N
Auburn, WA 98002
253-854-0700 Ext. 2558
North Seattle Family Center
3200 NE 125th Street, Suite 2
Seattle, WA 98125
1-800-456-3339
More information is also available at www.childrenshomesociety.org