February, 2022: Over the last two years, we have been working with Public Profit to evaluate the impact of our programs. We especially want to thank First 5 Alameda County and the San Francisco Human Services Agency for their underwriting and support of this independent program evaluation. See above for some highlights and click here to check out the final report.

Testimonials

“The program really helps me take off some of the stress in budgeting or going to the store and not finding her size and having to buy multiple small packs, which is more expensive purchasing that way.”
— Mom, Alameda County
Everyone knows that diapers are expensive. What is less well known is that in some neighborhoods, they can also be difficult to find. This is especially hard for families who lack access to transportation. Our partnership with Help a Mother Out ensures that ALL babies have access to diapers in our community.
— Maria, Social Worker
We see too many families having to keep their babies in dirty diapers, and it breaks our hearts. The addition of Help a Mother Out to our program offerings means that our families no longer have to make the impossible choice of diapers vs other basic needs, and we are so thankful. More clean diapers means less diaper rashes and healthier babies.
— Laurie, Public Health Nurse
“A strength of this [diaper bank] program is the fact that people were coming just for diapers, but because of that, Compass has been able to say, ‘Hey, this is what else we’re offering with diapers.’ It’s been a gateway to show what other services that we can integrate. We’re just not about diapers, but we have all these other services too.”
— Compass Family Services staff member
I appreciate the diaper program because I have seen that mothers are changing diapers more often, knowing they can count on us to give them diapers that HAMO has provided. Some of the infants and toddlers have had severe diaper rash, which we know is painful and unsanitary, and causes stress on both child and mother. These diapers are making a real difference.
— Homeless Prenatal Program, San Francisco
Often times, the diapers serve as something to draw in the clients. They tend to upkeep appointments, at times, because they know that they are in need of diapers and that is something I can help them with. That way I can provide them with useful resources during our meeting and, at times, I can also bring up the question of budgeting/how they can work on having diapers on their own.
— Brighter Beginnings, Oakland
A lot of people don’t understand how bad I feel when I don’t have enough money to buy a bag of diapers. There is a lot of shame… Even when I do buy diapers they are not for sensitive skin and I deal with my daughter’s rashes and end up having to take her to the doctor. Her rashes are so intense that she does not let me wipe her. I want to be able to provide for my daughter. I am grateful that you provide diapers for babies with sensitive skin.
— Karen, Mom & Program Recipient
Diaper adequacy is a social justice issue and basic infant right. No baby should have to languish in a soiled diaper. Babies who spend more time in soiled diapers are at risk for infections and other health issues. We are grateful for Help a Mother Out (HAMO), which has made a difference in the lives of infants and their families in the community we serve.
— Dawn Dailey, PhD, RN, Nurse Manager, Contra Costa Nurse-Family Partnership
Help a Mother Out is one of the most forward thinking diaper banks in the country, developing model programs and strategies to meet unmet diaper need that are serving up ideas for the rest of the state and, in fact, the rest of the country...
— Jessica Bartholow, Legislative Advocate, Western Center on Law and Poverty