I get this question – often with a healthy dose of skepticism – at least once a week in conversations with donors, volunteers, and friends. And YES, we do take that!
We started the Baby Pantry in July 2014 because we receiving donations of formula and wipes along with diapers. In talking to our partners and families we quickly realized that there was a huge need for these “other” donations and that we were in a great place to connect these donations to families. That same month we became a registered food pantry through Montgomery County and the Baby Pantry has been growing ever since!
And quite frankly, the numbers are staggering. Since we started we’ve distributed:
– 4,013 pounds of powdered baby formula – that’s $64,208 worth of formula all donated.
– In the first six months of 2015 alone we distributed enough formula for 37,000 prepared 8oz bottles – that’s a lot of hungry little ones getting fed!
– We’ve given out 1,922 pounds of baby food.
– 852 pounds of hygiene items including diaper cream, breastfeeding supplies, tampons, lotion, shampoo, and toothbrushes.
– And 3,106 pounds of baby wipes have made their way to little bottoms.
All combined these items, all donated by community members and through diaper drives, have a value of $105,085.77. We talk a lot about the limited incomes that our families struggle to survive on day in and day out – an influx of wipes or toothpaste, tampons or formula enables that monthly budget to go further. All these items – truly essentials – are not covered by food stamps and WIC funds. Imagine bathing your baby without soap, using fast food napkins in place of a tampon, or not being able to brush your teeth.
With our new expanded Warehouse space (more on that in an upcoming post soon!), we have more room to grow our Baby Pantry. Want to know what we take?? Here’s the full list of new items we accept:
Tampons & Pads – they fly out the door!
Adult Diapers
Formula – please check that it’s unexpired
Baby Food Jars and Pouches
Adult food
Shampoo & Conditioner
Soap & Bubble Bath
Diaper Cream
Toothbrushes & Toothpaste and other baby hygiene items
Potty Training Seats
New Toddler Underwear
New Socks and Bibs
Bottles/Nipples/Teethers/Pacifiers
New and Like New Board Books
New and Like New Sleepsacks
Breastfeeding Supplies
Laundry Detergent