Featured Agency of the Week: Midland County Department of Human Services

Department of Human Services, DHS, is a welfare agency for Midland County’s children and families. There are over 100 county offices throughout the state of Michigan, however Midland’s office stands out because of the partnership they have had with The Diaper Alliance since June 2011. Not only does DHS help individuals and families with food, cash, medical and emergency assistance, they also distribute to new babies, toddlers, children and adults with a need for diapers. This distribution takes place out of The Diaper Alliance building at 4606 James Savage Road in Midland on the third Friday of every month from 10:00 AM- 12:00PM. Only DHS clients are allowed to receive these diapers and they must bring their Bridge card and a Midland County form of identification.

DHS client Chrissy Smith receives diapers and greatly appreciates the partnership that DHS has created with The Diaper Alliance! Chrissy exclaimed, “Diapers are so expensive! Two kids and gas is ridiculous. If I had to pay for diapers I would not be able to get to school. If it wasn’t for The Diaper Alliance my kids would be in soggy diapers. I definitely make sure I am at every DHS distribution.” When it comes down to choosing your children over getting yourself and education, a job, etc. many people choose the safety and health of their child. Because DHS is a Partner Agency of The Diaper Alliance, now they don’t have to. Chrissy continued, “I want to get an education so I can provide for my kids. Receiving diapers is a blessing because it allows me to get closer to doing just that.”

Andi Pellegrini, Midland County DHS Community Resource Coordinator, concluded “I have worked with Debi Keyes, Diaper Alliance Executive Director, since the beginning of her amazing project. She is a truly inspiring woman who has done so much with her non-profit agency. Partnering with The Diaper Alliance has been a blessing to our families who struggle to pay everyday expenses, not to mention diapers! We serve around 60 families (100+ children) on a monthly basis and every time we are told they couldn’t make it without this service. Keep up the great work Debi Keyes, Chelsie Schroeder, and The Diaper Alliance! Cheers to many more years!”

If you would like to learn more about the Midland County Department of Human Services visit their website or call (989) 835-7040.

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: The Railway Family Center

Railway Family Center is not another place to go play basketball on a Thursday night. This Center set out to meet a need in the Coleman community and now provides before and after school care, youth and adult athletic programs, preschool, a family assistance pantry, fitness classes and a fitness center. Executive Director, Katie VanDuinen, states “We provide services in a rural community which often means that our families have a higher number of risk factors such as lack of transportation, challenges accessing services, a higher poverty level, parents with lower levels of education, etc.” In order assist community members in these areas the Railway Family Center has built trust in the surrounding area and proved to be a source for educational and encouraging mental and physical enrichment. One specific example is the partnership that the Railway Family Center has with The Diaper Alliance. This partnership allows the Railway Family Center to diaper individuals of all age ranges, within a certain income level, without the clients having to travel all the way to Midland.

“When my husband got laid off, right after I gave birth to our second child, we had a hard time making ends meet. I called 211 to ask for help with diapering my new baby. I was referred to the Railway Family Center to ask for help. This was the first time that we have ever needed any kind of assistance. I went to Railway to ask about diapers and they were able to provide me with the help we needed. Being able to get support with diapers is a great thing to offer everyone. We are truly grateful that The Diaper Alliance exists, and is offered in our area.” –Railway Family Center client

If you would like to become a member of the Railway Family Center, please visit their website or contact them at (989) 465-2079. Working together, we can meet the need. 

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: The Salvation Army

When you have a physical need sometimes there is more to the story, another underlying cause. Maybe there is an emotion attached to the physical need, maybe you do not feel socially accepted and that is creating the physical need or maybe you have a spiritual disconnect and that is the underlying problem. The Salvation Army, Midland Corps seeks to serve the needs of the whole person physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

When you hear of The Salvation Army you probably think of the red kettle buckets at the mall during Christmastime. The Salvation Army is much more than that. They take the time to understand the entire situation of each struggling client that walks through their door, placing a great emphasis on family structure and development. The Salvation Army offers character building programs that help families develop attitudes and skills to improve family life, as well as a successful life for each individual involved. Specifically, they have partnered with The Diaper Alliance to meet the need for struggling families who need diaper assistance. Captain Brian Goodwill states, “We here at The Salvation Army feel we have been blessed to partner with The Diaper Alliance in order to help meet some of the most basic needs for parents in our community. Nearly every time we assist someone with diapers we hear them tell us ‘You don’t know how much this will help us out.’” Goodwill continues, “With the high price of diapers, along with the rising prices of other household basic necessities, this partnership is now more important than ever for the families we serve.”

Meeting immediate needs of those in our community is very important, but The Salvation Army focuses on addressing long-term issues that will generate real life change. Working with partners, like The Diaper Alliance, allows The Salvation Army to meet a variety of needs and give their clients the best possible assistance and care. If you would like to learn more about The Salvation Army visit their website or call Captain Brian Goodwill at (989) 496-2787.

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: Caregiving Network

Imagine living solely off of food stamps and maybe some cash assistance, searching every single day for a place to work so you can clothe, shelter and provide for your family. Many of the clients at Caregiving Network live this life every time the sun comes up. Several clients are young single mothers who have no extra money for diapers and are in a desperate state, trying to provide for their child.

A Christian run non-profit organization, Caregiving Network, Inc., meets the basic needs of individuals who are living below the 2013 100% Poverty Income Level in Midland County. Caregiving Network partners with community organizations and local churches to teach skills and promote self-sufficiency to each individual who walks through their doors.

Not only does Caregiving Network work with The Diaper Alliance to provide diapers for families in need, they also have food, clothing, household and personal care pantries and provide transportation, rent and utility assistance. Since 1994, Caregiving Network has continued to shape the lives of those financially struggling in our community and with your support they can continue to do so. If you have any questions about volunteering or supporting our Partner Agency, Caregiving Network, please visit their website or call Executive Director, Tom Vander Zouwen, at (989) 837-9757. 

Almost 500,000 Diapers Delivered!

Finished and stuffed to the brim! The Diaper Alliance finished unloading the second semi of Huggies diapers on Wednesday, July 3rd and our warehouse is officially full.

It was a good thing that the second semi full of diapers arrived on Wednesday morning instead of Monday with the first load, because the warehouse would not have been ready for such large numbers! In order to prepare for the second semi, a large hole had to be cut into the dry wall, electrical wires had to be moved, pallet jacks had to be ordered and the first load of diapers had to be moved to our second warehouse room. Everything was completed on time and the second semi full of diapers arrived around 10:00 AM on Wednesday morning. 

Around 2:00 PM on Wednesday every pallet was unloaded and strategically placed in The Diaper Alliance warehouse. The building is now filled with a total of 47 pallets of diapers, ranging from size 3-6. The expected 250,000 diapers we thought Huggies was going to send us, turn into nearly 500,000 diapers! 

The Diaper Alliance was shell shocked when hearing such a large number! We had no idea that we would get so many diapers. A huge thank you goes out to The Galloup Company for unloading the pallets, as well as Arianna and her family and the Signatures Photography men for helping us move pallets and sort the diapers in the warehouse. 

We are in complete awe of the blessings we have been given. We are now stocked and ready for the next challenge, distributing the diapers to the families who need us! 

View the Photo Album.

1st Huggies Load Delivered!

As most of you know, The Diaper Alliance was selected for a Community Partnership through the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) and their founding sponsor, Huggies. The National Partnership will provide a total of one-half-million diapers to The Diaper Alliance to be distributed in Midland County and eventually to neighboring communities. Other benefits include purchasing privileges and the opportunity to work with NDBN to become a sustainable organization during the two years. The first quarter million diapers were scheduled to arrive today, July 1st, 2013. 

The semi truck full of Huggies diapers arrived at 4606 James Savage Road this morning around 2:30 AM, driven by a sweet gentleman who called Debi, The Diaper Alliance's Executive Director, announcing his arrival. Debi informed the man that our delivery was scheduled for 11:00 AM, however he was welcome to sleep and make himself comfortable until everyone arrived and that is what he did.

We lifted the gate of the semi bed around 9:30 AM only to realize that the pallets were placed in the wrong direction. We were not able to get them out of the semi, unless they were turned sideways. Thanks to our NEW neighbors, The Galloup Company we were able to overcome this obstacle. The Galloup Company generously offered to take the semi over to their unloading dock, unload it onto a flat bed, drive the flat bed over and then unload all 18 pallets of diapers into our NEW warehouse with their fork lift. We honestly could not have completed what we did today with out Galloup's help! 

Representatives from almost all of our 18 Partner Agencies attended the Huggies celebration as well as  Midland Daily News and Signatures Photography. The excitement and support of all of those who attended filled the entire building. Thank you to all who helped make today possible and the continuous support of our mission at The Diaper Alliance, to meet the diaper need in Midland County. We would not be where we are today without YOUR support!

Visit our Facebook page, to see the complete photo album from the delivery. 

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: Shelterhouse

Do you know someone who needs help? Do you know someone who has been raped, attacked or assaulted? Or were you the victim of all of the pain? No matter the experience or the person, Shelterhouse of Midland and Gladwin Counties is here to help. Shelterhouse provides non-residential services and emergency shelter to families and individuals who are homeless due to domestic violence and sexual assault.

Turning to someone for help is often the hardest step for victims of violence. It can happen to anyone; a man, a woman, a mother, a child. Quite often you will see a mother who has been assaulted fleeing with her child, not only for her own protection, but to protect the innocent life of her baby. Shelterhouse provides assistance, comfort and support to those who have been battered and helps them begin to live a life free of violence.

The Diaper Alliance and Shelterhouse have come together to  help mothers diaper their young children after such instances. Janine Ouderkirk, Executive Director at Shelterhouse, mentioned, “The Diaper Alliance is a true blessing to our organization. They help us serve our clients by providing diapers and wipes. It saves our agency money and resources.” This partnership has allowed mothers to rest assured that their children will be provided for. Ouderkirk continued, “One mom is grateful for this free service as she has so much to worry about already by leaving a domestically abusive relationship while pregnant with twins and parenting a 20 month old. Her husband is not supporting her financially and without The Diaper Alliance she would not be able to provide for her babies.”

Thanks to YOU, The Diaper Alliance is able to partner with Shelterhouse and provide diapers for newborns, toddlers, children and adults who are financially struggling. If you would like to learn more about Shelterhouse, call (989) 835-6771 or visit their website, ShelterhouseMidland.org. 

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: Hope House, Midland Nazarene

Support..Love...Compassion...Hope. The Hope House of Midland Nazarene is not only a big white house in the front of the church property, but a home that has been transformed into a place of peace, joy and understanding for unwed mothers.

Partnering with the Midland Pregnancy Resource Center (PRC), the Hope House provides free housing for a full year to a pregnant woman. Kathie Evans, Director of the Hope House, mentioned, "Our goal is to help a young mother improve her ability to provide emotional, spiritual and financial support for herself and her child". The Hope House and PRC partnership encourages life skills so that when the woman leaves the house she can function well in her home and in our society.

The Midland Nazarene Church fully supports and embraces the lives that pass through the Hope House. The church body has held a fundraiser for the house and also accepts funds to restore and maintain the home, so that the women feel welcomed and loved.

TAKE A TOUR

This is the first year that the Hope House has partnered with The Diaper Alliance and we are proud to say that we can help more mothers in need, thanks to YOU! If you would like to learn more about the Midland Nazarene Hope House, please contact Kathie Evans at kaevans@hotmail.com.

FEATURED AGENCY OF THE WEEK: Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund

Headquartered in Midland Michigan, MidMichigan Medical Center offers a variety of care services, including assistance and advice for individuals and families who are financially struggling.

The Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund, serving Midland and Gladwin Counties as well as Williams Township, is one of the many services that the hospital offers. The Pardee Cancer Center specifically assists patients who are struggling financially to afford their cancer related medical expenses and they work with adults and the elderly.

So, why does this organization work with The Diaper Alliance? Deb McGill, Executive Director of The Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund states, "We have been working with The Diaper Alliance for many years. We donate when families bring in diapers and we ask for diapers for our clients when needed." McGill also mentioned, "Debi Keyes (Executive Director and Founder at The Diaper Alliance) has been wonderful at getting us diapers, pads and wipes for our bed ridden and incontinent patients."

Without the support from YOU and our community, The Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund would not be able to provide as many diapers to patients in need. In the words of Deb McGill, "A big THANK YOU for helping us help others."

The Pardee Cancer Treatment Fund is just one of The Diaper Alliance's 18 Partner Agencies. If you would like to learn more about The Pardee Fund, please call (989) 839-3929 or The Diaper Alliance at (989) 832-9867.

NEW Website Launch

It is finally done. It has been launched. Please check it out!

The Diaper Alliance has finally released a NEW and IMPROVED website. We know that you want to be kept up to date on how your donation dollars are being put to use, current happenings with our organization and live stories from clients and partner agencies. The new website features client/agency stories on the homepage and also gives viewers the opportunity to submit their own Diaper Alliance stories/testimonies. Posts from The Diaper Alliance blog are also linked on the homepage so viewers can stay connected all in one location. 

What do your monetary donations help The Diaper Alliance accomplish? This is one of the new concepts that The Alliance is working on developing. We want to show you exactly what your donations are part of each month. To launch this concept, we have included a page specifically featuring "Your Dollars at Work". Be on the lookout for more details coming soon.

The fresh clean look of the website will make your viewing experience easy to read and understand. We are excited to have the chance to connect with you, our donors, clients, volunteers and Partner Agencies through this new site. We value our partnership with you and we encourage you to support our efforts so that we can continue to improve the quality of life for families in our Midland community and eventually our expanded area.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE NOW!

DHS Distribution Day

The Diaper Alliance is hosing its first ever DHS distribution day out of our own building. This is a great opportunity to meet some of the individuals and families that we help provide diapers for. Everyone's story is so different and unique and because of all of our loving supporters, we are able to meet each of those individual needs.

The DHS distribution will take place at The Diaper Alliance every third Friday of the month (next pickup is June 21st) from 10am -12pm. These DHS clients usually receive diapers twice each month, however this distribution is only taking place once each month in efforts to cut down on gas and time. The DHS clients are required to bring their ID and Bridge Card/MI Health Card and are required to fill out The Diaper Alliance client form. (Anyone who picks up diapers for someone else must bring a note) All clients are also given testimonial forms, so that they can share their stories and experiences they have had with The Diaper Alliance. "When I get low on diapers, I know have support in Midland County." -DHS Client

Everyone is enjoying the first distribution day, including DJ and all of his new friends he is making!

Pull Up for Pull-Ups Week

Beep Beep!! Watch out Midland, The Diaper Alliance is starting our Pull Up for Pull-Ups campaign and we expect a lot of traffic. DJ the stork has already been cruzing down and around our drop off location which will be right in front of The Alliance, 503 South Saginaw Rd. There will be a large bin and a Diaper Drive sign, this is where you can drop off your generous donations from May 13th-17th.

All donations are accepted, but Pull-Ups are requested, specifically sizes 3t-4t and 4t-5t. Our shelves are bare and we need your help to ensure that the children of Midland County are "covered". For one whole week we hope to rally our neighbors around this cause. We have seen what you are capable of and we've set no boundaries.

Pull Up to The Diaper Alliance Monday May, 13th through Friday May 17th. Help us meet the need and you never know...DJ might be here to grab a photo with you as well!

Welcome DJ!

The Diaper Alliance wants to give a warm welcome to DJ the Stork! Some of you may be wondering where DJ's name came from (no he does not play music on the weekends). DJ stands for Diaper Junkie. A junkie is an enthusiastic follower or fan who is completely devoted to a cause. A perfect name for our new mascot! This furry fella has made The Diaper Alliance his new home and is excited to share his journey with all of our followers. DJ has been making new friends with other storks in the office, is helping repackage diapers and is looking forward to flying to all diaper drop off and pickup locations in the near future.

Any time you see DJ out in the community be sure to get your picture with him, so that you can be featured on The Diaper Alliance Blog with the newest bird in town!

The Diaper Alliance Gets A Face Lift

The Diaper Alliance is getting a face lift and included in our re-branding "lift" is a NEW blog! Not only do we hope to offer you a more user friendly, accessible and social networking location, we want the chance to tell you about our experiences outside the office and in the Midland Community with our diaper recipients and partner agencies. 

We are committed to sharing the heart tugging stories of our neighbors with you ever week. We want you to know how your donation, no matter the size, is helping those in need whether it be a newborn baby or a senior citizen. 

Stay tuned in the weeks to come, as we begin to learn more about The Diaper Alliance's partner agencies and how they are giving back to the Midland Community.