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!