JOLIET Ill. Oct. 1, 2018 — United Way of Will County’s Women United social change project, Community Baby Shower, began a network to distribute diapers to families in need through community partners on Sept. 16 at Lockport Township Office with Community Baby Shower Event. There, community members spent time packaging nearly 10,000 diapers and over 8,000 baby wipes into bundles for families in need.
Diapering your baby’s bottom or giving them a bath is a decision no one wants to make. However, one in three families find themselves in similar situations. Driven by community member’s efforts, the Community Baby Shower program works to promote baby wellness and help fill a gap in between services offered by SNAP and WIC. The distribution network consists of businesses and community members who collect baby wellness supplies, community members who come together and volunteer to package the supplies into bundles, and local non-profits who distribute the bundles to families in need.
Selected as the program’s founding network partners were The Center at Custer Park, Respond Now, Child Care Resource and Referral, Lockport Township Office, and New Life Lutheran Church. Families in need can visit these organizations for help with baby wellness item needs. It is standard for daycares to require families to provide 25 diapers per child each week. At the first Community Baby Shower Event, sponsored by Association of Plainfield Teachers, volunteers packaged diapers in to packs of 25 to help already struggling families with sending their children to daycare.
Hosted, organized, and executed by community organizations, Community Baby Shower Events are intended to be replicated across towns as a fun way to give back to the community. Lockport Township Clerk, Denise Mushro-Rumchak said “Lockport Township was honored to host United Way of Will County’s First Community Baby Shower. This partnership allowed us to provide essential items for families in need. The event was a success. The Lockport Township Youth committee recognizes the need to continue a diaper drive throughout the year.” This Community Baby Shower event was supplied from drives hosted by Plainfield Junior Women’s Club, Lockport Women’s Club, FedEx, District 86’s school psychologists, Gifts from Liam, Lockport Township Offices, Braidwood Generation, and Mr. and Mrs. Milam. If you’re interested in hosting a Community Baby Shower Event in your community, visit uwwill.org/what-we-do/uwwc-services/community-baby-shower/.
Will County’s Women United social change initiatives began after the Women United inauguration at the Little Black Dress Soiree in Feb. 2018.
United Way of Will County’s social change initiative, Community Baby Shower, has only just begun. The group’s long term goal is to increase access to diapers and other baby wellness items throughout the county. If you wish to join our Community Baby Shower group, or have questions on hosting a Community Baby Shower Event, visit uwwill.org or contact samantha@uwwill.org.
United Way of Will County fights for the self-sufficiency, health, safety and education of every person in Will County. Through its extensive network of individuals, funded partners and corporate affiliates, United Way of Will County fosters collaborations, partnerships and develops solutions to the challenges facing the community. These collective efforts have resulted in the direct aid to one in three community members. The mission, to unite Will County communities and resources to empower people and create positive, sustainable change, is deeply rooted in United Way of Will County’s history beginning in 1936. To learn more about United Way of Will County’s community impact, visit www.uwwill.org.
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