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About Street roots. (Portland, OR) 1998-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 7, 2012)
street roots Dec. 7, 2012 Diaper demand indicative of families in need BY SARA GATES, ANNA ARUTYUNOVA AND REBECCA GRAY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS very Tuesday night, a small group gathers outside of the First Baptist Church, waiting for the doors to open for a weekly hot meal. This particular line, though, looks a little different than many others in downtown Portland. As a long haired man with a wide smile opens the door precisely at six o’clock, young men Families with children have become the fastest growing population o f people experiencing homelessness, leading to a rising demand fo r diapers. pushing strollers and women with toddlers hoisted on their hips pass through. This line is made up entirely of families. each child. across the greater Portland area, including One local mother who experienced this They come to the weekly Dinner and a Jen Lawrence, the program’s two in Washington state. frustration firsthand is hoping to make a Movie gathering to eat, watch a film on the development director, estimates the group Individuals donate children’s items, such difference by founding a new organization, church’s projector screen and occasionally gave away 800 packages of diapers last year. as clothing and toys, and NCO volunteers the PDX Diaper Bank. pick up donated clothes or personal items. “It’s a real need,” she said. sort the items and prepare packages for the “Wdien my husband was in law school, we They come also for something much less Dinner and a Movie took note in the rise shelters, caseworkers and other clients that were on the receiving end of services,” recreational and far more essential: diapers. in the number of homeless families years serve families in need. Last year, they gave Rachel Alston says. “We qualified for food Diapers aren’t covered by food stamps, ago and changed its program to out over half a million diapers. stamps and all kinds of aid, but there was need to be replenished constantly and have accommodate the new demographic. The “Diapers are our single biggest need,” nothing for diapers.” to fit properly to do their job. And with outreach began in 2001 as a way to reach says Debbie Sherwood, president of NCO. Still in its planning stages, the group families now the fastest-growing segment of homeless youth, allowing anyone younger “After we pay our building expenses, which hopes to become a centralized donation Portland’s homeless population - last year’s than 25 to come for a meal and a movie. center (similar to Northwest Children’s are relatively small, any monetary donations Point-In-Time Count of Homelessness Outreach) but one focusing solely on we receive go to buying diapers.” About four or five years ago, Lawrence, sh o w ed a 35 p e rc e n t in c re a s e in th e n u m b e r says, m any of th o s e s tr e e t k id s s t a r t e d Bridges to Housing, a family-focused providing diapers to agencies for of u n s h e lte re d fam ilies w ith ch ild ren — th e com ing w ith b ab ie s of th e ir own. L aw ren ce h o u sin g program, estimates that more than distribution. need for diapers has never been more said they looked at what resources were 2,500 families in the Portland-Vancouver Just last year, mega-brand Huggies urgent. already available in Portland and decided area are without safe, permanent shelter on partnered with a few diaper banks around “I’ve gotten my son’s diapers here for his the families needed them more. any given night. ♦ the country (including Westside Baby in entire life,” Kevin, a 35-year-old single dad, “How can you make a bigger impact than Northwest Children’s Outreach impacts Seattle) to found the National Diaper Bank says on a recent Tuesday night over a plate trying to effect the next generation?” many of those families by working with Network. Alston has applied to become a of spaghetti and meatballs. “This place is Lawrence asks. “We decided to be the more than 200 agencies to distribute partner bank with the network, allowing like my family now.” support that many of these parents need to diapers, clothing and toys. Caseworkers and Portland families to benefit from bulk and He started attending Dinner and a Movie break the cycles of abuse that might have program directors like Lawrence place corporate donations on a much larger scale. more than 10 years ago. At that time, he brought them to the street in the first weekly orders based on their regular clients’ “We’ll collect diapers from individual says he was a homeless youth prone to place.” requests, but sometimes the demand donors and companies and store them violence. Today, he volunteers alongside the Not only are diapers necessary for outpaces the supply. similar to how a food bank operates,” Alston organization’s leaders, who eventually children’s basic health and hygiene, but they “It’s a basic need, and we definitely says. “But instead of distributing diapers helped him into Narcotics Anonymous, find are crucial for parents who rely on day care. cannot fill all of the orders we receive,” directly to families, we’ll work with local stable housing and retain custody of his son Most daycare centers require a full day’s Sherwood says. “Without a reliable supply, nonprofits that already have an existing Alex, now 3 years old. supply of fresh diapers in order for a baby client base.” we know mothers have to make tough Kevin’s face, with its easy smile and or toddler to attend. When a family does not choices and get creative.” Alston hopes to include cloth diapers as bright blue eyes, is now the first to greet have enough diapers, the parents may not Sherwood’s caseworkers report that part of the PDX Diaper Bank, but only if families as they file in on Tuesday nights. be able to go to work or job interviews. some mothers choose to diaper their babies parents in need request them. While cloth While the youngest guests play together only at night, changing wet clothes and Like many of Portland’s family-focused diapers are reusable and less costly in the in the nursery, their parents sit down to a cleaning up as best they can through the services, Dinner and a Movie looks to long term than disposable diapers, many movie — on this night it’s “Indiana Jones and another local nonprofit, Northwest families do not have easy access to washers day. One mother she knows lines her baby’s the Temple of Doom” — and look through and dryers. diaper with a paper towel. When the baby Children’s Outreach (NCO), for the diapers the donation table’s pile of clothes for their they distribute each week to families like wets the diaper, she simply changes the The report w as/ produced as part o f a kids’ sizes. The bags of diapers are doled Kevin and Alex. The large faith-based towel, stretching out her 20-diapers-per- collaboration between Street Roots and out carefully, with one bag of 20 diapers for organization operates seven drop-off centers week supply. E Portland State University.
