Local Business Women Collect Over 8,000 Clean Diapers To Benefit Arkansas Families

                         All Photos Taken By: Jennifer Acs Photography

The sun was shining, the bugs were humming, and Murray Park was full of families taking full advantage of the beautiful Arkansas weather. It was a perfect day for the No Child Wet Behind 5k Fun Run and Family event.

Over 8,000 clean diapers were donated and purchase thanks to our amazing sponsors, Babies’R’Us, Arkansas Blue, Wellness Revolution, Jennifer Acs Photography and Taiho-Ryu Karate & Jujitsu. As well as out fantastic vendors, Jessica Merritt with Origami Owl, Stephanie Clark with Jamberry, Jessica Arsenault with Perfectly Posh , Cristina Fargo with Usborne, Jennifer Hills with Lip Sense, Amanda Gatrell with Tupperware, and Danielle Hurt with It Works for their generous donations. And none of this could have been pulled off with out the support of our staff that spread awareness of the genuine need for the one in three families struggling to diaper their children.

We’ve been asked, “Why disposables? Aren’t cloth diapers more economical?” I’m so glad you asked! There are so many reasons we chose to take donations of disposable diapers for No Child We Behind.

#1: Cloth diapering isn’t always more economical.

Families who struggle to diaper their children often have limited access to washers and dryers. Washers and dryers are expensive to own, move and run making cleaning diapers a hard task to accomplish. Many laundromats don’t allow excessively soiled laundry to be processed at their facility and most public transportation doesn’t allowed offensive smelling loads to be hauled. Why not hand wash cloth diapers? In homes that may already be cramped from many people living in them on top of poor living conditions that accompany crowded residents, this is not conducive to hand washing or drying cloth diapers making disposables ideal.

#2: Cloth diapers come with a learning curve.

As someone who is proud to cloth diaper her child, it was not something that came easy. Many videos were watched along with many hours from online support groups was spent on how to properly wash cloth diapers and dress my baby’s behind. To this day, with cloth diapers being so main stream, I either have to teach family and friends how to properly affix them to my child. Everyone knows how to put on a disposable diaper. There are no tips or trick really, making them easier to use for families who may not know proper diapering techniques that come along with cloth diapers.

#3: By choosing disposable diapers, we are able to reach more families.

When it came to donations for No Child Wet Behind, it seemed like a no brainer to ask for disposable diapers. Everyone know how to use them, everyone knows where to buy them, and they more cost effective for donors to support the cause. The main purpose of the No Child Wet Behind campaign was to reduce the “one in three” statistic. You can spend $25 on a case of diapers, which can help a family diaper their child for a month, or you can spend $25 on one cloth diaper. And no matter your personal preference, less families in need of diapers seems like the better option.

So if you would like to continue to support No Child Wet Behind, please continue to purchase diapers to support the one in three families that struggle to diaper their children. Diaper purchases can be made at Babies’R’Us and placed in the donation box or online at [link] to be shipped directly to our office for distribution. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to working with you on the continued effort to diaper babies. 

Authored By: Heather Barrios