It Can Take a Village to Change a Diaper

This post is sponsored by Huggies. As always, all opinions, are 100% my own.

It seems to me that a new natural disaster has devastated some place in the globe every time I log on to social media: Earthquakes in Mexico, hurricanes all over the Gulf, and destruction, and families that have had their world ripped out from under them. Many of you may know that we recently moved from a suburb of Houston. Our hearts ached to be with all of our friends and neighbors as they were going through the terrifying and destructive effects of  Hurricane Harvey. Over and over I kept asking my husband how we could help best from where we were at. (Spoiler: at the end of the post is a cute printable to help you if you sometimes ask yourself this same question).

An answer to our question came in a collaboration that I was working on. One of the side benefits of being able to be a part of this blog is that occasionally I get to collaborate with individuals and companies that are doing amazing things that I am happy to support. One of these collaborations has been with Huggies and their No Baby Unhugged program. Huggies became a founding sponsor of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) in 2011 to try to combat diaper need throughout the US. Since 2011, Huggies No Baby Unhugged has provided ongoing support for the organization and has donated more than 200 million diapers and baby wipes, including critical donations during times of crisis. Over and over we have heard that Houston is in desperate need of many supplies, with one of those being diapers. This is the opportunity that we were looking for. We absolutely loved the idea of sending hugs by way of diapers to the babies and families in our old community. In a suburb close to our old home, the NDBN has the Fort Bend Diaper Bank. Through this organization we can have our donations directly go to supplying diapers for all the little ones whose families are currently struggling.

The thing that I need to remember more often is that crises and natural disasters are not the only reason to donate and help organizations like the NDBN. It is so sad to hear how a necessity like diapers actually causes stress and worry to families that are dealing with diaper need throughout the US. A recently announced study, Diaper Need and Its Impact on U.S. Families, from Huggies and the NDBN showed that 3 in 5 parents suffering from diaper need actually miss work or school because they do not have enough clean diapers to send their child to child care, day care, or other educational programs. That blew me away! If you think this is rare, they also found that 1 in 3 U.S. families struggle with diaper need. Since diapers are not covered by government subsidies, the need for those families struggling with diaper need is that much greater.

So what can you do? Huggies and the NDBN have actually made it really easy to help with their current efforts, as they know “it can take a village to change a diaper.” Here is what you can do:

• You can donate funds or diapers to an established diaper bank like we are at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org.
• You can volunteer to head up a diaper drive for a local diaper bank
• Or, if you want something really simple, you can donate your Huggies Rewards Points that you receive from purchasing Huggies products here. Huggies will convert these points into diapers that they donate to the NDBN.

With the holidays approaching, we like to start thinking of fun service opportunities that we can do as a family to help others. Volunteering at a bank or hosting a diaper drive could certainly be enjoyed by all, and have a very significant impact on families who feel stressed and helpless.

With all the opportunities to help those in distress these days, I guess I wanted the focus of this post to be selfless service to others. I came across a quote that resonated with me. Gandhi once said, “The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others.” We created this printable that you can put in your home, office, or anywhere that you would like a reminder that there are others less fortunate than us, and that we can make their, and our own day, a little bit better by reaching outside of ourselves.

YELLOW QUOTE:

 TURQUOISE QUOTE:

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

YELLOW SERVICE PRINTABLE QUOTE

TURQUOISE SERVICE PRINTABLE QUOTE

I’m so glad that we are able to donate to the National Diaper Bank Network. Doing something for others always brings me joy, and I truly believe it is the best way to “lose yourself.”

I’m so glad that we are able to donate to the National Diaper Bank Network. Doing something for others always brings me joy, and I truly believe it is the best way to “lose yourself.”

For more information about Huggies and how you can help in the No Baby Unhugged program, be sure to head to Huggies.com.

ENJOY!

Huggies – the fastest growing diaper brand in U.S. hospitals – believes deeply in the Power of Hugs, which is why every diaper and wipe are inspired by a parent’s embrace. The Huggies No Baby Unhugged program helps ensure all babies get the hugs they need to thrive by supporting hugging programs in hospitals and donating diapers across the country. Learn how you can help at Huggies.com/NoBabyUnhugged. #HuggiesCouncil #ad