ICYMI: Our Op-ed in the Mercury News (and other Diaper Need Awareness Updates)

I’m a single mom of two beautiful girls - ages 7 months and 18 months. I am also a recent widow. When I was laid off from my job one month after my husband's passing, I felt lost. I was hopeless. Then, two weeks ago, a friend introduced me to this program, and it offers so many services to me and my babies, including job assistance and enrollment in the diaper program. For the first time in a long time, I feel hope. 

- Jennice, mom of 2

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I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you - the editors at the San Jose Mercury News have been gracious enough to run an op-ed I wrote in support of federal/state public policy solutions to end diaper need. You can read the op-ed here. 

Having my first op-ed published in The Merc is especially meaningful to me, as I grew up reading it. What’s more, it was the first print newspaper to ever write about HAMO. In our founding year (2009), one of their long time columnists (shout out to Ms. Patty Fisher, now retired) took a chance on me after I sent her a rookie press release.

In conjunction with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, please consider sharing the op-ed on social media or by forwarding it to like minded folks. (Sample text below.)

Share on social (copy/paste): 
Support your local diaper bank. It’s life changing for babies via @MercNews @helpamotherout (https://bit.ly/HAMO21 ).

I truly believe real change comes from the bottom up. We appreciate your advocacy and continued support in ensuring more babies have the diapers they need to be healthy, clean and dry.

In Community,

Lisa Truong

Founder and Executive Director

P.S. In case you missed it, I was interviewed last week by Nikki Medoro for the KGO 810 Morning Show! Check out the interview here to find out more about what we’re up to!

Crib Notes

More California babies covered: Say THANK YOU to lawmakers

This past summer California legislators and Governor Newsom approved the addition of $30 million in diaper bank funding to the state’s budget. We are incredibly grateful to all of YOU, who collectively advocated with Help a Mother Out (“HAMO”) in support of working families. The funds have been allocated to new and existing diaper programs throughout the state (FY 22-24). Grantees include HAMO (San Francisco Bay Area), and regional food banks operating in the Redwood Empire, Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, and Inland Empire. 

This is a HUGE win for the cause and it would not have happened without your grassroots support!

Will you join us in contacting Governor Newsom and your CA legislators to thank them for their leadership and support of diaper bank funding? Check out this handy toolkit for two super easy ways to say “thanks”!

• Thank CA budget leadership and the governor on social media

• Send an email thanking your local state representatives

Ready to Take the Next Step?

We have some awesome (and safe!) volunteer events on the horizon (specifically, 2 upcoming in the SF area). If you want to volunteer with HAMO, or just want to know more about our work, fill out our interest form!It takes just a few seconds, but can have a huge impact!

We are stronger when we come together.

Diaper Daddies - Challenge Accepted!

During last Tuesday’s episode of Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen challenged his friend and fellow dad, Anderson Cooper to a round of Diaper Daddies. Each dad was given 45 seconds to change as many diapers as possible. Who do you think won?! Check out this video to find out.

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Over 33 million diapers distributed
since our founding in 2009!

Don't Buy Into This Myth

Hi, this is Lisa. I don’t normally chime in on this channel with things personal in nature, but today is an exception. What is true for me? I believe that despite coming from different backgrounds and life experiences, WE are ALL interconnected and interdependent. 

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As a Vietnamese American who came to the U.S. before I was two, and as someone who has experienced racism and misogyny (both explicit and subtle forms) throughout my entire life, I am compelled to speak out against anti-Asian hate. 

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What we are collectively experiencing are the consequences of xenophobic rhetoric that has been normalized in recent years. 

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Please consider:

1) The “model minority” is a myth created to divide non-white people against each other. Please don’t buy into this myth. People of Asian descent are not a monolith group. The AAPI community is diverse in socioeconomic class, language, faith and culture. Fundamentally speaking, when we choose to “other” another group of people, it becomes easier to see folks different from us as subhuman. There are many instances in human history where this went terribly wrong, including our current circumstances.

2) What happened in the Atlanta area and the anti-Asian violence that is surging across our country is wrong. Do not excuse the murder of six women of Asian descent and two white people. Their personal histories, such as whether they were employed as service workers or worked illegally in the sex trade, should not be a barrier for any one of us to feel empathy for them and their family members left behind. Their lives mattered to someone. They did not deserve to die. They died as a consequence of our nation’s deep-seated issues including white supremacy, misogyny and classism. .

3) There is a lot going on in our society that is not right. It is easy for us to get stuck in one existential crisis after another. The good news is that WE have the ability to change some things. No; we can’t change other people, especially those who choose to live in a fear-based reality or commit violence against other people. But WE CAN control ourselves. Let’s commit to listen to each other more, to do our inner work (i.e. flexing our empathy muscle, approaching difference with cultural humility), and to  model for our children a better way of being in the world.

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It is important that all of us, regardless of our racial and cultural backgrounds; education levels; or bank account balance, ALL OF US MUST speak up against racism and xenophobia when and where it matters – both in private conversations and in the public discourse. It will not be easy, but if we are to build a better world for our children, it will be necessary. 

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In solidarity, 

LT

Advocating for Diaper Bank Funding in the CA State Budget - We Need Your Help!

Help a Mother Out was founded in 2009 when two California moms got mad that diapers weren’t part of the safety net. Since then, we have advanced our mission in two ways: 1) getting urgently needed diapers to as many families as possible; 2) advocating for the inclusion of diapers in social safety net programs.

Today, we have the opportunity to ensure that more California babies have what they need to thrive during these troubling times. Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (District 80) has made a formal budget request of $30 million over three years to fund existing and new diaper bank programs in the state. 

We need your help.

It is vital that this proposed funding gets included in the state budget so that organizations like HAMO can continue to meet more of the needs of more California babies and families. We need your help to make this a reality.

Please contact your CA Assemblymember and Senator and ask them to formally sign on to Asm. Lorena Gonzalez’s formal budget request to include diapers in the state budget. The more members who sign on, the more compelling it will be for CA legislators to consider this crucial request. Instructions:

We have compiled all of the information you need into one easy to use spreadsheet that you can find here (http://bit.ly/hamolegislation). Instructions are included on this spreadsheet, also listed below:

1. Find your CA State Senator and Assemblymember

2. Contact your CA Assemblymember and Senator by EMAIL/PHONE (click for suggested script)

3. Contact Governor Newsom by EMAIL/PHONE (click here for contact info and here for suggested script)

4. Write postcards to Gov. Newsom & your CA legislators DISTRICT OFFICE. You are free to use your own postcards or request free HAMO postcards. (Click here for suggested postcard script)

   • Use this link to ask for HAMO postcards to be sent to you

5. If you receive a response, let us know (emily@helpamotherout.org)!

6. If your legislator is marked GREEN on this spreadsheet, they support diaper bank funding. Please THANK THEM (email, phone, postcard)!

7. Use Facebooks’ Town Hall feature to easily find and contact your state legislator

   • suggested scripts for legislators can be found here

8. If you’re a Facebook user, post this on your Facebook page to garner support

You can help spread the word by forwarding this to your network. You’ll be shocked to learn that every single phone call, email and mailed postcard makes a difference.  

Diaper Need Awareness Week - What's Going On?

"Yes, I desperately need diapers and wipes. I have been using cloth diapers that I made from bed sheets and washing their buttocks. I am sorry I am telling you this, it is embarrassing that my babies are in this situation, but I can't take it any longer."

 ~ Mom in San Francisco (Summer 2020)

This week (September 21st to September 27th) is Diaper Need Awareness Week. In recognition, here’s a quick field update!

One of the amazing agencies we have been able to support through our COVID-19 Rapid Response diaper donations is Homies Empowerment. They operate the FREEDOM Store in east Oakland, where Bay Area residents can shop for free food and toiletries (open every Tuesday). #ItTakesaBarrio!

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We recently donated 1,000 cases of diapers to the Child Parent Institute(Sonoma County). They are helping families negatively impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis and the wildfires ravaging Northern California. Check out this heartfelt video they made to thank us!

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With the “new normal”, we have turned to drive-thru giveaways to get more diapers to more families safely. This month, we partnered with Baby Basics of the Peninsula (East Palo Alto) for their inaugural drive-thru event, distributing 1,000 diaper cases. More drive-thru distributions are in the works. Our next one is Saturday, October 3rd in San Francisco (Bayview/Hunters Point). Email emily@helpamotherout.org for volunteer opportunities.

Together, we are making a difference in the lives of our neighbors in need. We appreciate you, particularly through all of the challenges that 2020 has brought for our country and our community.

"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Crib Notes

Sign Up to Be a Monthly Donor - the Gift is on Us!

We are looking for 30 supporters just like you to sign up to be a new monthly donor! Monthly donors sustain our mission and help to guarantee that we can get critically needed diapers to our community. Can we count you in? The first 30 people to sign up to be a monthly donor before October 31st will be eligible to receive a thank you gift from HAMO - the more you give, the more you get!

Sign up at $10/month and we’ll send you three awesome HAMO stickers and a HAMO lip balm.

Sign up at $25/month (or more!) and we’ll send you a swell HAMO branded Yeti mug!

Parenting in Uncertain Times

Back in May, we hosted an intimate talk with the amazing Dr. Allison Briscoe Smith where she spoke to parenting during uncertain times. Some of you have been asking us for additional resources, or if there will be another talk. We have good news! Starting October 1st, Dr. Briscoe Smith is facilitating an online parenting class with small learning groups. To learn more and sign up, click here.

HBS Brainstorming Session

In August we were one of a handful of non profits to participate in Harvard Business School Community Partners (Northern California) brainstorming session. Special thanks to HAMO Leadership Circle Member and HBS alumna, Annie Myers, for facilitating this amazing opportunity for HAMO!

Current Events

Diaper Need in the News: How to Help Parents Who Are Struggling to Provide for Their Kids (NY Times)

Neighborhood Diaper Donation Program

We are still looking for local community heroes to offer up their homes as contactless diaper drop-off sites. If you are interested in learning more, email emily@helpamotherout.org.

Donation of Other Essential Items

As the pandemic continues, we have expanded distributions to include baby wipes, masks and hand sanitizer.  So far, we have distributed over 1 million baby wipes, 1,200 bottles of hand sanitizer and 750 masks. 

Follow us on Instagram!

If you want to get all of the latest and greatest HAMO updates, be sure to follow us on Instagram. Find us here @helpamotherout!

“Just as someone who did whatever she could, with whatever limited talent she had, to move society along in the direction I would like it to be for my children and grandchildren.” 

~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg {on how she wanted to be remembered}

Diaper Distributions - August 2020

Thanks to our generous community, we have been able to continue distributing critically needed diapers during this time of extremes need. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in August 2020. This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Distributions

• Alameda County Maternal, Paternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MPCAH) - Department of Public Health

• Contra Costa County Department of Health

• Daly City Community Services

• Fair Oaks Community Center

• Homeless Prenatal Program

• Lincoln

• Oakland Early Head Start

• Oakland Unified School District

• Roots Santa Clara

• St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

• Sunnyvale Community Services

• Union City Family Center

San Francisco Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Visitacion Valley

• Bayview Hunters Point YMCA

• Compass Family Services

• OMI Family Resource Center

• San Francisco Housing Authority

• San Francisco H.S.A.

COVID-19 Rapid Relief Program (not a core partner)

• Child Parent Institute (Sonoma County)

• CORA (San Mateo County)

• Homies Empowerment (Alameda County)

• MidPen Housing (Santa Clara County)

• Urban Partners LA (Los Angeles County)

Diaper Distributions - Fiscal Year 2020 (July 2019 to June 2020)

The second half of our fiscal year brought unforeseen challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold. Countless families have found themselves facing economic hardship as a result of the ongoing health crisis, and they have struggled to provide even the most basic of needs. Thanks to our generous community, we have been able to continue distributing critically needed diapers during this difficult time. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in Fiscal Year 2020 (from July 2019 to June 2020). This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Family Support Services

• Alameda County Maternal, Paternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MPCAH) - Department of Public Health

• Baby Basics of the Peninsula

• Brighter Beginnings (Antioch)

• Brighter Beginnings (Oakland)

• Brighter Beginnings (Richmond)

• Brilliant Baby - Oakland

• Catholic Charities - Santa Clara County

• Contra Costa County Department of Health

• Daly City Community Services

• Fair Oaks Community Center

• Good Samaritan

• Homeless Prenatal Program

• Lincoln

• New Creation Home Ministries

• Oakland Early Head Start

• Oakland Unified School District

• Room to Bloom

• Roots - Oakland

• Roots - San Jose

• Samaritan House

• San Antonio Family Resource Center

• St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

• Sunnyvale Community Services

• UCB Pantry

• Union City Family Center

• University Village

• West Valley Community Services

• Wu Yee

San Francisco Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Visitacion Valley

• Bayview Hunters Point YMCA

• Children’s Council

• Compass Family Services

• OMI Family Resource Center

• San Francisco Housing Authority

• San Francisco H.S.A.

COVID-19 Rapid Relief Program (not a core partner)

• Child Parent Institute (Sonoma County)

• Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties (CC and Solano County)

• Good Plus Foundation (Los Angeles County)

• Her Village, Inc. (the Bronx, NY)

• MidPen Housing (Santa Clara County)

• MoMAGIC (San Francisco County)

• Monument Crisis Center (Contra Costa County)

• Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence (Santa Clara County)

• One Life Counseling Center (San Mateo County)

• Performing Stars (Marin County)

• Reedley Continuation High School (Fresno County)

• Safe and Sound (San Francisco County)

• Safe Passages (Alameda County)

• San Francisco WIC Program (San Francisco County)

• San Lorenzo Unified School District (Alameda County)

• SisterWeb (San Francisco County)

• The Unity Council (Alameda County)

• Welcome Home Baby - AspiraNet (Contra Costa County)

• White Pony Express (Contra Costa County)

• YMCA East Bay (Alameda County)

• YMCA Emeryville (Alameda County)

• YMCA Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County)

• YMCA South San Francisco (San Mateo County)

• Youth Arts Empowerment (Alameda County)

• Youth Uprising (Alameda County)

• ZSFG Pregnant Patients Pantry (San Francisco County)

One-Time Donations to non-core partners (not COVID relief based)

• 4Cs of San Mateo County (San Mateo County)

• BANANAS (Alameda County)

• Bay View Library (San Francisco County)

• Bernal Heights Community Center (San Francisco County)

• Corazon Healdsburg (Sonoma County)

• El Centro de Familia Avenida Walnut (Santa Cruz County)

• Hively - Child Care Links (Alameda County)

• Institute for Human and Social Development (San Mateo County)

• Live Moves (San Mateo County)

• Moms Helping Moms (New Jersey)

• Monterey County Health Department-NFP (Monterey County)

• Palega Recreation Center (San Francisco County)

• Rebel Family Shelter (Santa Cruz)

• San Francisco Black Day of Excellence (San Francisco County)

• San Francisco Black Infant Health (San Francisco County)

• Warm Winter Nights (Contra Costa County)

Diaper Distributions - June 2020

Thanks to our generous community, we have been able to continue distributing critically needed diapers during this time of extremes need. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in June 2020. This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Chinatown

• Alameda County Maternal, Paternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MPCAH) - Department of Public Health

• Brighter Beginnings (Oakland)

• Fair Oaks Community Center

• Good Samaritan

• Homeless Prenatal Program

• Lincoln

• New Creation Home Ministries

• Oakland Early Head Start

• Oakland Unified School District

• Room to Bloom

• San Antonio Family Resource Center

• St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

• Sunnyvale Community Services

• Union City Family Center

• Wu Yee

San Francisco Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Visitacion Valley

• Bayview Hunters Point YMCA

• OMI Family Resource Center

• San Francisco Housing Authority

• San Francisco H.S.A.

COVID-19 Rapid Relief Program (not a core partner)

• Her Village, Inc. (the Bronx, NY)

• MoMAGIC (San Francisco County)

• One Life Counseling Center (San Mateo County)

• Performing Stars (Marin County)

• Safe and Sound (San Francisco County)

• San Francisco WIC Program (San Francisco County)

• San Lorenzo Unified School District (Alameda County)

• SisterWeb (San Francisco County)

• ZSFG Pregnant Patients Pantry (San Francisco County)

We are all in this together - June 2020 Update from HAMO

Two things I’ve been thinking deeply about: Why, in the U.S.A., are there so many families who struggle to afford something as basic as diapers? Why do we often feel discouraged about our ability to help improve the lives of our neighbors, those within our local communities who are struggling? On the one hand, the answers are nuanced and complex. On the other hand, the answers are simple: It is never easy to look at ourselves in the mirror. It is comforting (at least in the short term) to believe that someone else is taking care of it - or is better equipped to do so. 

Help a Mother Out was founded on the simple idea that we are all in this together. As a community benefit organization that serves low-income families, a disproportionate number of whom are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), being an ally is in our DNA.

"He used to carry me on his back all the time ... It was like you were up in the sky, like an airplane." - Gianna Floyd
Artwork by Dev Heyrana - check out more of her amazing work here.

Black Lives Matter. George Floyd’s life mattered. So did the lives of Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery and countless other Black Americans who fell victim to violent expressions of racism.

In this time of grief and uncertainty, we recognize that the inequities in our communities result in individuals and families experiencing poverty (in need of diapers, food, housing, healthcare, education).  This is a direct result of systemic racism.

We are committed to doing the work. In practical terms, HAMO commits to:

• Continue to expand diaper access in communities of color through local partners including Black Infant Health (BIH), the Fatherhood Initiative, and minority-led organizations who are trusted within the communities they serve.

• Conceive and implement an official DEIB (diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging) policy, so that anti-racist ideals are further embedded within HAMO’s organizational structure and programs, regardless of the future composition of staff, leadership and the board.

• Cultivate a culture of belonging where BIPOC actively participate in our community as donors, volunteers, advocates, staff and board members.

This is a painful time of reckoning for our country. Thank you for doing the work with us. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of so many.  Read on for our Crib Notes.

In solidarity,

Lisa Truong
Founder, Executive Director

“The great force of history comes from the fact that we carry it within us, are unconsciously controlled by it in many ways, and history is literally present in all that we do.”

~ James Baldwin

Crib Notes

We made our goal! Thank you to everyone who donated to our COVID-19 rapid response fundraising campaign. Together we raised $140,400. Since SIP, we have distributed 2,600,843 diapers, thanks to you!

May 2020 distributions: We distributed 742,094 diapers in the month of May! Click here for a list of our distribution partners.

Thank you to core partners, Alameda County Public Health Department! In addition to continuing to serve their existing clients via programs like Nurse Family Partnership and Black Infant Health, they are now also providing diapers to community members who are in quarantine/isolation due to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Parenting in uncertain times: Thank you to everyone who attended our virtual town hall with Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smithon 5/26. Here is what one of our attendees said: “Thank you for making the space to have this event. I left feeling I learned something new and connected with a great group!” We hope to host similar events later this year. Got ideas? Contact Emily@helpamotherout.org.

Thank you Seven Stills: Thank you to SF based Seven Stills for donating 21 bottles of hand sanitizer. Click here for our IG photo.

Anti-racist resources: 

• Talking About Race (National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian)

• Embrace Race

• How companies and individuals can use Juneteenth to practice active allyship (Fast Company)

• 5 Tips for being an ally (3 minute video, YouTube)

• Understanding my privilege (Tedx, 12 minute video)

• Resources from Dr. Allison Briscoe-Smith

African American History:

• The Civil War and Reconstruction Era, 1845-1877 (FREE Yale.edu course)

• African American History: From Emancipation to the Present (FREE Yale.edu course)

Parenting resources:

• How Can I Stay Positive for My Kids When I’m So Overwhelmed? (Greater Good)

• Supporting Children During Coronavirus (National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

Diaper Distributions - May 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we are working tirelessly to meet the needs of our community. Thanks to our generous community, we have been able to continue distributing critically needed diapers during this time of extremes need. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in May 2020. This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Distributions

• APA Chinatown

• Brighter Beginnings (Oakland)

• Catholic Charities Santa Clara

• CCC DOH

• Fair Oaks

• Good Samaritan

• Monument Crisis Center

• OUSD

• Room to Bloom

• Roots Santa Clara

• Safe and Sound

• Safe Passages

• Samaritan House

• San Antonio Family Resource Ctr

• SF Black Infant Health

• Sunnyvale Community Services

• The Unity Council

• Union City Family Center

• White Pony

• Wu Yee

• ZSFG Pregnant Patients Pantry

San Francisco Diaper Bank Distributions

• 1235 Mission

• APA Vis Valley

• Bayview Hunters Point YMCA

• Compass Family Services

• OMI FRC

• San Francisco Housing Authority

• San Francisco H.S.A.

Diaper Distributions - April 2020

As the COVID-19 crisis persists, we are continuing to see surge in diaper need of over 500%. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in April 2020. This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Distributions

• Alameda County Maternal, Paternal, Child, and Adolescent Health (MPCAH) (Department of Public Health)

• Baby Basics of the Peninsula

• Brighter Beginnings Oakland 

• Brighter Beginnings Richmond

• Contra Costa County Health Services - Family, Maternal & Child Health (FMCH) Programs (Public Health Department)

• Daly City Community Service Center

• Fair Oaks 

• Food Bank CCS

• New Creation Home Ministry 

• Next Door Solutions to Domestic Violence

• Oakland Early Head Start

• Oakland Unified School District

• Room to Bloom (Oakland)

• Roots Santa Clara 

• Safe and Sound (SF Family Resource Centers)

• San Antonio Family Resource Center

• San Francisco Black Infant Health Program  

• San Francisco Housing Authority

• Sunnyvale Community Services

• Union City Family Center

• University Village 

• YMCA East Bay Emeryville

San Francisco Diaper Bank Distributions

•  170 Otis - Human Services Agency

• Bayview Hunters Point YMCA

• Human Service Agency - Homeless Families Response Network

• OMI Family Resouce Center

•  San Francisco Housing Authority

Why I support Help a Mother Out...

Back in December, before our world changed, I volunteered at a diaper giveaway event hosted by the 4Cs of San Mateo County, with diapers provided by Help a Mother Out (“HAMO”). When I arrived, I was immediately struck by the line of waiting families stretching around the block, braving the cold and early hour for diapers. Throughout the morning, I heard many stories of struggle: to make ends meet, to piece together the full supply of diapers required by childcare facilities, to juggle competing financial obligations each month (rent, food, transportation, diapers).

Families waiting in line for diapers at a Help a Mother Out diaper giveaway event in Redwood City.

What I reflect on now that our world has changed: these families are our friends, our neighbors and vital community members. If you are like me, you are being asked to give to many causes throughout the country during this time of uncertainty. I choose to support HAMO, because this is my community, and I want to support my neighbors.

Today, the families we serve are seeing their health and livelihoods disproportionately impacted by COVID-19: school closures, social isolation, unemployment/reduced work hours, and basic needs shortages.

A BIG THANK YOU to all who have already made a financial contribution to HAMO in the last month. Our Annual Tea fundraiser is not occurring this year, which is devastating to our bottom line now that our community needs our support more than ever.  It is our hope that you will support our COVID-19 relief campaign, and encourage others to join you. As you can see, we are on our way! As of the date of this email, we have raised over $43,000. That puts us at about 35% of goal. 

We need your help closing the gap. Here’s how:

• Host a virtual fundraiser: Use our toolkit for a super easy setup! 

  • Invite your friends and family to join you

  • Donate your Mother’s Day

  • Host a fundraiser in honor of a mother (or mother figure) you love

• Donate: Make a personal financial contribution 

• Spread the word about HAMO’s rapid response to COVID-19

With many thanks for your continuing support,

Meghan Crowell

Chair - Tea Host Committee and Board Member 

On behalf of the HAMO staff and board

Diaper Distributions - March 2020

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, we are expecting to see surge in diaper need of over 500%. We have already seen a huge increase in the number of diapers we are distributing, as our partner agencies are asking for more diapers to meet the growing demand. Below is a listing of all agencies who received diaper distributions in March 2020. This list includes HAMO’s core community partners, as well as one time/COVID-19 rapid response partners.

Bay Area Diaper Bank Diaper Distributions

• Alameda County MPCAH

• Brighter Beginnings, Oakland

• Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

• Homeless Prenatal Program (San Francisco)

• Child Parent Institute (Sonoma County)*

• Daly City Community Services Center

• Oakland Early Head Start

• Fair Oaks Community Center (Redwood City)

• Good Samaritan (San Francisco)

• Room to Bloom (Oakland)

• Roots - Santa Clara

• Safe Passages (Oakland)*

• St. Vincent de Paul of Alameda County

• Sunnyvale Community Services (Santa Clara County)

• UCB Pantry (Berkeley)

• Union City Family Services Center (Alameda County)

• YMCA SF*

• Youth Uprising (Oakland)*

San Francisco Diaper Bank

• Bayview YMCA

• OMI FRC

• Compass

• Mission Workforce Center

• Children’s Council

• APA Visitacion Valley

• 1235 Mission

• SFHSA Otis

• Bayview YMCA

• 1800 Oakdale

• Children’s Council

• Compass

• OMI FRC

• SFHSA Otis

California Diaper Bank

• Good Plus Foundation (Los Angeles County)*

  *one time donation or COVID-19 rapid response

Open Letter: Help us stop the unauthorized resale of ELO Baby® Diapers

Dear Community Member,

Help a Mother Out provides high-quality diapers to families in need, always free of charge. Our work is only more essential during this crisis, when the most vulnerable members of our community are being disproportionately impacted.

Unfortunately, we have recently become aware that our ELO Baby® diaper products are being sold by individuals, in various places (online and elsewhere).

To be clear, we neither support nor condone the reselling of our products. We are doing everything we can to stop it.

WE NEED YOUR HELP to ensure more families have the essentials they need.

Diaper bank program recipients:

• Please do not take diapers that you do not intend to utilize for your own family.

• Should you no longer need the diapers, for whatever reason, please return them to the service provider you received it from. If that is not possible, we kindly suggest that you give the diapers away, free of charge, to another family in need.

• Help a Mother Out reserves the right to immediately terminate enrollees from our programs should they choose not to adhere to the above. Additionally, we will report the incident to your service provider and, if appropriate, relevant authorities.

Diaper distribution partners:

• We rely on and put a lot of trust in our partners to help us distribute free diapers in the community.  Per our service agreement, please securely store and limit internal access to your inventory.

• We respectfully ask that you message to program recipients that the diapers they receive are not to be used for personal profit (see above).

• Should we become aware of any of your employees facilitating the theft of product, and/or directly or indirectly reselling our products, we will immediately notify your organization’s leadership team and report the incident to the authorities.

Community members:

• If you become aware of an individual or group reselling ELO Baby diapers (online or elsewhere), please notify us by emailing info@helpamotherout.org. Be sure to include relevant information (e.g. screenshots, photos, locations, names, links).

The bottom line is that every diaper misappropriated for personal profit is one less diaper for a member of our community who desperately needs it and cannot afford to buy it. In this time of crisis, it’s more important than ever that we help each other.

Every day, our team comes to work focused on getting urgently needed diapers to as many struggling families as possible. For 11 years we have worked tirelessly, with blood, sweat and MANY tears, to build our grassroots organization from the ground up.

Please do your part to ensure the sustainability of our work.  Our vision remains clear: a day when every baby has access to a healthy supply of diapers. 

In community,

Lisa Truong
Founder, Executive Director

San Francisco Diaper Bank Expands to CalFresh Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
November 13, 2019 

Contact: 

Chandra Johnson, San Francisco Human Services Agency 

(415) 557-5940 cajohnson@sfgov.org

Michelle Cox, Help a Mother Out

(415) 823-7574 michelle@helpamotherout.org

SAN FRANCISCO ANNOUNCES FREE DIAPER PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN WHO RECEIVE CALFRESH FOOD ASSISTANCE

Nation’s first publicly funded diaper bank expands to nutrition safety net program, doubling the number of free diapers available to City babies

SAN FRANCISCO – San Francisco is now the first county in the nation to provide free diapers as a supplementary benefit for families who receive CalFresh food assistance, known at the federal level as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The announcement comes from the San Francisco Diaper Bank, a partnership between the Human Services Agency (HSA) and Help a Mother Out (HAMO), that provides a free monthly supply of diapers to residents with children under age three who participate in CalWORKs and, starting in November, CalFresh. 

Diaper need, known as the lack of sufficient diapers to keep infants and young children dry, comfortable, and healthy, is a common, distressing, and often hidden issue for low-income parents. Nationally, one in three families struggles with diaper need.

The average monthly diaper bill for a child under age three can range from $80 – 100 per month. Yet, for the most part, social safety net programs for families do not recognize diapers as a necessity. The cost of diapers is not an allowable expense under federal programs that provide food assistance to young children like SNAP or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

“We must ensure every child in California is off to a great start. From health problems to being shut out of childcare programs, having little or no access to clean diapers can be hard on families and impact the outcome of a child’s life,” said Assemblymember Phil Ting (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Assembly Budget Committee. “As a father, I know firsthand the reach the Diaper Bank will now have as a result of the increase in state funding.”

California is a leader in pursuing policy strategies to reduce diaper need. The Diaper Bank expansion to CalFresh households in San Francisco is made possible by a $2.5 million grant awarded to HAMO in support of diaper access programs in the Bay Area by the California Department of Social Services. The program expansion doubles eligibility to 2,500 San Francisco children whose families currently receive CalWORKs or CalFresh benefits for cash, employment, or food assistance from HSA. 

In 2015, HSA and nonprofit partner HAMO established the first publicly funded diaper bank in the United States to improve access to diapers. The Diaper Bank has distributed more than three million diapers to San Francisco families. An annual retail value of $500,000 in diaper supplies is projected for distribution to CalWORKs and CalFresh participants.

“We began to notice convenience stores in certain communities breaking down diaper boxes and marking them up for individual sale. This is a real eye-opening example of people trying to manage the high cost of diaper packages. No one should profit from hard-working families trying to keep up with day-to-day expenses,” said Trent Rhorer, Executive Director of the San Francisco Human Services Agency. “Expanding the Diaper Bank frees up more money in household budgets to put food on the table, pay for housing, and other essentials.” 

“Choosing between a clean diaper for your baby and rent, food, or transportation is a choice no parent should have to make, yet it’s a choice many in our community face daily,” said Lisa Truong, Founder and Executive Director of Help a Mother Out. “We believe diapers should be part of the social safety net, and the San Francisco Diaper Bank is an important step in that direction.”

CalFresh monthly benefits in San Francisco start at $16, with a household of four receiving about $425 in food assistance. Families that qualify for the lower range of assistance can still benefit from free monthly diaper supplies, a value of about $80 per month for each child under age three. 

More than 4,000 children in San Francisco live in households that have an annual income below the California Poverty Measure. These households are among those most at risk of diaper need. Families with young children are encouraged to apply for CalWORKs and CalFresh to take advantage of diaper benefits and other vital support services.

“It costs like $25 for one box of diapers. I remember the time when I had to decide between buying milk and buying diapers. No parent should have to go through that. You have no idea what this program has meant for me,” said San Francisco Diaper Bank participant Hanen Bouzidi. 

Families who receive CalWORKs and CalFresh in San Francisco can visit one of nine community pick up locations to request free diapers. Program participants are required to show their EBT card and a valid government issued ID card. Participation in the Diaper Bank will not reduce monthly benefit amounts for food and cash assistance. For questions, call: CalWORKs (415) 557-5100 or CalFresh (415) 558-4700.

San Francisco Diaper Bank distribution sites include HSA service centers, the Bayview Hunters Point YMCA, Children’s Council of San Francisco, Compass Connecting Point, OMI Family Resource Center, and Visitation Valley Strong Families.  

For more information, visit: www.sfdiaperbank.org

To apply for CalWORKs or CalFresh, visit www.sfhsa.org

About Help a Mother Out (HAMO)

Help a Mother Out (HAMO) works to improve baby and family well-being by increasing access to diapers for families in need. In addition to running the San Francisco Diaper Bank, the nation’s first publicly funded diaper bank, we distribute diapers to families in need through our Bay Area Diaper Bank program, which is a distribution network of social service partners including family resource centers, voluntary home visiting, facilitated parent support groups, homeless and foster children services, public health departments and others across the Bay Area. HAMO has distributed more than 10 million diapers since its founding by two Bay Area moms in 2009. HAMO is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, with donation opportunities available at www.helpamotherout.org.

About the San Francisco Human Services Agency
The Human Services Agency (HSA) administers a wide range of supportive services dedicated to helping San Franciscans achieve their full potential through all stages of life. The Agency delivers a safety net of protective services and public benefits that are designed to meet the unique needs of low-income individuals, children and families, older adults, and adults with disabilities. HSA provides help through cash assistance, food and nutritional support, health insurance, and supportive housing, among other services. 

California Fire Relief

Great news! We are now able to accept your in kind diapers to Butte County fire victims. Thank you to our amazing partner Earth Baby for donating a truck and to driver Roseanne, who is donating her time! Please help fire victims who have young children by giving diapers! There are three ways to give:

1. Donate to the California Fire Relief Fund. 100% of your donation will go toward purchase of diapers at volume discount. Click here to give now >

2. Bring diapers to any of our drop-off bins. Click here for locations >

3. Purchase from HAMO’s Amazon wish list.

Governor Brown Signs AB480 into Law

On October 12, 2017, Governor Brown signed AB480 into law. 

Help a Mother Out commends Assembly Member Gonzalez-Fletcher for her persistent efforts to include diapers in California’s safety net, and for her leadership in sponsoring AB480. Since 2009, Help a Mother Out has worked to address the unmet immediate need in the community and engaged in legislative advocacy for public policy solutions to end diaper need. We applaud Governor Brown for signing AB480 into law and look forward to additional counties joining San Francisco’s efforts to include diapers in the CalWORKs safety net.

Additional information about the legislation can be found through the following links:

• http://www.einpresswire.com/article/409530900/new-california-diaper-benefit-aims-to-reduce-diaper-need-among-low-wage-families
• https://www.gov.ca.gov/docs/AB_480_Signing_Message_2017.pdf
• https://a80.asmdc.org/press-releases/gov-brown-signs-lorena-gonzalez-fletchers-bills-protect-women-need
•  http://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article178477486.html
• http://www.governing.com/topics/health-human-services/tns-california-women-children-tampons.html
• http://www.capradio.org/articles/2017/10/12/governor-jerry-brown-signs-off-on-eight-womens-caucus-bills

Celebrating Diaper Need Awareness Week

We were excited to participate in the 2017 Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 25, 2017 to October 1, 2017). Diaper Need Awareness Week is a national initiative to make people aware that 1 in 3 American families struggle with diaper need -- meaning they do not have enough diapers to keep their babies clean, dry and healthy.

Help a Mother Out received three official proclamations in recognition of Diaper Need Awareness Week. A huge thank you to Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee, and the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women for their proclamations.

HAMO staff members Nora Nicholson (fourth from right) and Anu Menon (third from left) with the San Francisco Commission on the Status of Women.

HAMO and our Alameda partners also got a special DNAW treat  - a meeting with Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf as part of the official presentation of the DNAW proclamation. It was a great honor to talk to the Mayor about diaper need and hear about her passion for helping children and needy families in Oakland.

HAMO staff and our Oakland partners with the DNAW proclamation.

HAMO staff members Anu Menon (left), Nora Nicholson (center back), Lisa Truong (center front) and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf (right) with DNAW proclamation.

We are stronger together, and these proclamations demonstrate the dedication of Bay Area communities to work alongside Help a Mother Out in an effort to ensure that all families have access to the diapers they need. Every baby deserves a clean diaper.

Help a Mother Out Honors Jessica Bartholow with the 2017 Community Impact Award

Help a Mother Out was delighted to award Jessica Bartholow, Policy Advocate at the Western Center on Law and Poverty, with the Community Impact Award at our 2017 Annual Benefit Tea last weekend. Her acceptance speech, which so eloquently spoke to the issue of diaper need, is presented below.

"I’m so very honored to be honored today, not only for the recognition of my work but also because it comes from you - Help a Mother Out. 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. So thank you.

I’ve been asked to say a couple of words today about the problem of unmet diaper need and the work we are leading together as a community of people who want to protect those very special months following the birth of a child when important developmental goals of an infant and toddler will be met…or they won’t.

When a family is unable to afford the 8-12 diapers needed daily for an infant, they simply use fewer diapers, which means that babies will linger, uncomfortable and unhappy, for longer periods of time in diapers that contains urine and feces. Prolonged exposure to urine and fecal matter breaks down the natural defenses of the infant’s skin and resulting in a painful diaper rash. Without an adequate supply of diapers, a simple rash can turn in to a more complicated rash that requires medication. And, because poor children are already more likely to experience illness than other children, unmet diaper needs both increases the likelihood of illness and undermines one tool used to treat illness resulting in diarrhea or rash.

Unmet diaper needs don’t only impact the physical health of a child, but also their mental health and future potential. This is because parents who are unable to adequately diaper their children are more likely to experience maternal depression,   a condition associated with reduced maternal-child interaction known to undermine school readiness among poor children. 

 Lack of maternal interaction and infection isn’t the only danger to these infants and toddlers. 

Research has shown that children living in conditions where their basic needs go unmet not only experience depravity of not having those needs met, but are also deeply impacted by the toxic stress that results from chronically unmet needs.  Toxic stress is defined as a consistent, high level of stress which has the physiological impact of increased levels of cortisone, which leads to diet related disease, and structural impacts on their brain development. In my opinion, most cruel result of toxic stress for infants and toddlers is that, as brain researchers have found, it undermines the structure of the part of their brain that supports “coping” – one could argue is one of the most important skills they will need to grow up in poverty and to eventually exit it.

Finally, lack of adequate diaper supply can interrupt or prevent participation in early learning settings.  Most early learning childcare settings require families to bring their own diapers.  So even when the price of childcare is subsidized, a poor infant and toddlers may be kept from reaping the many benefits of participating in an early child education setting because their parents are unable to afford the number of diapers required by the center.     Consequently, when a family is unable to provide for the mandatory diapers required by the child care center, the parent(s) are also unable to participate in work or training programs to help them lift themselves out of poverty.

So much of what Help a Mother Out, and other similar organizations around the country, do is focused on a the logistics of getting diapers and diaper products into the hands and onto the tiny little chubby butts of infants and toddlers. This work is essential – it can interrupt the toxic stress low-income families experience. Adequate, regular access to diapers and diaper products not only prevent negative infant health impacts and related pain and suffering of babies – but they are an important paver bricks in the path out of poverty for these families with low-income families.

So today, as we celebrate the volunteers, staff and donors of Help a Mother Out, I hope all of us can be proud that this work is not just about covering the cute little heinies of Bay Area babies as they take their first steps but also protecting their life opportunities and each step along the way."

Jessica Bartholow is a Policy Advocate with nearly two decades of experience in anti-poverty organizing, advocacy and program development at the local, state and national level. Jessica has co-authored several advocate and program guides and led a coalition to support the passage of several pieces of signed legislation that improve public benefits delivery, consumer protections and financial empowerment for low-income Americans. Jessica holds a Master’s Degree in Political Science and is the 2012 recipient of the Wellstone -Wheeler National Anti-Hunger Advocate of the Year Award.