Guest Post By: Faith Elwonger
The biggest financial cost when it comes to babies is diapers. Typically, parents spend between $840 and $1,000 a year per child in the U.S. For low-income families, this expense can represent up to 14% of their after-tax income. But what if diapers didn’t have to feel like a financial burden?
Every year, Standing With You Community Advocates across the country put on Summer of Service events, and this summer is no exception! The Summer of Service is an opportunity to give away (yes, for FREE) diapers in communities everywhere to share hope and raise awareness about the pregnancy preparation and parenting help that exists.
This is a huge project that involves recruiting volunteers, collecting the diapers, and mobilizing to get them in the hands of those who need them. Oftentimes, many Standing With You pregnancy help organization partners are involved and help to make it all possible.
This year, the Summer of Service is happening in 30 locations, and some locations were able to collect so many diapers that they are planning to organize a second Summer of Service! So far, we have given away 10,743 diapers and served 341 women. This means money saved and greater awareness of where they can go for continued support right in their city! Here is a glimpse of what these service events look like:
Fort Worth, TX
“One woman we met during the Summer of Service works at a local hospital. She took about 20 of our Standing With You flyers to pass out to those in need of pregnant or parenting help that she comes across!”
- Standing With You Advocate, Megan
Cincinnati, OH:
“One of the first homes we visited was a single mother who had just moved to the area. She said she’d been praying that she would find some help for her and her child as they don’t have very much and are living on a very tight budget, she told us that we must have been the answer to her prayers. We gave her diapers and wipes and showed her that she lives only one block away from her local pregnancy help center, and she thanked us and let us know she will be going there.”
We also met a man named Charles who was trying to move a fridge into his home. He lived alone, and this fridge was far too heavy to move himself. A couple of us offered to help him guide it into his garage, and after we finished, he asked what we were doing. When we explained the Summer of Service, he told us he is a landlord of an apartment nearby with a resident who had just had a baby! He asked for a flyer for her so she’d have information on the pregnancy help center, and he could refer her there. He let us know he is Catholic and works in social work, so he is always looking for more life affirming resources to share with women. He is glad to share StandingWithYou.org!”
- Standing With You Advocate, Nicholas
Portland:
“On Saturday, June 28, volunteers met to knock on doors and offer baby supplies to those in need. It was a slow start with very few people at home.
About an hour into our door knocking, we met a young woman coming out of an apartment complex who told us there was a parade on MLK at 11 a.m. We realized this would be a great opportunity to meet young moms and offer resources, and that we would likely have more success providing diapers, wipes, and resource information. Sure enough, the street was soon lined with neighbors from all over the area for the Good in the Hood parade and festival.
After the parade, we headed over to the festival, where we met many moms, including a woman who said her 18-year-old daughter just found out she was pregnant. She came to us asking for help for her daughter. We were able to give her our resource sheet, literature from Standing With You, a MyOptions QR code card, and some diapers. She was very encouraged by the information!
By 2:00 pm., we had reached 89 neighbors, had 49 conversations, and 37 individuals activated to spread the word. We gave away 890 diapers, 17 packs of wipes, 5 baby clothes sets, 2 baby shampoo/soap bottles, and 1 baby blanket!
We realized that these summer events provide a great opportunity for Standing With You advocates to connect very personally with the community and provide help in a friendly atmosphere. We are thankful to God for such a successful day in Portland.”
- Standing With You Advocate, Julie
These are testimonies from just three of over 30 Summer of Service events happening! Seeing the look of gratitude on people’s faces makes it all worth it.
To follow our campaigns or sign up to host a Summer of Service event, please click this link!