This week marked one year since Irma hit Southwest Florida. Whilst the hurricane impacted the lives of many of us to this day, the most vulnerable low-income communities were hit the hardest, as they were forced to face unbudgeted expenses and to spend money that they didn’t have.
Especially with young children, there are basics necessities - shelter, food, diapers - that no family should ever have to go without. Many of us can’t even imagine not being able to put a clean diaper on our babies every time they need to be changed. Unfortunately, there are parents who have to choose between food and diapers - diapers are not eligible for food stamps or WIC - under normal circumstances. After Irma, the cost of diapers put an extra financial strain on those already struggling families, who were scratching every penny together to get back on their feet. In this extreme situation, for some of them it would have been nearly impossible to get enough clean diapers for their children without the help of organizations like the Miami Diaper Bank.
To address the immediate need, Miami Diaper Bank committed to supporting families during the aftermath and throughout the recovery process by providing them with free diapers for their children to keep them dry and healthy. When Irma hit, Miami Diaper Bank organized emergency disaster relief efforts and committed 100% of donations received for over 7 weeks to purchasing diapers for families affected by the devastating natural disaster. Thanks to donors nationwide, Miami Diaper Bank donated one million diapers to families affected by Hurricane Irma.
Founded in 2013, the Miami Diaper Bank is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and first established diaper bank in Miami. Its mission is to collect and distribute diapers and other baby essentials to low-income and homeless families and their children, while also raising awareness about the need for diaper in the South Florida area.
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In this interview Roberto Schaechter - Dad, President and Co-Founder of Miami Diaper Bank - shares with us the story behind this organization, its mission and how we can help out.
Please tell me about where the idea came from for a diaper bank and how you first got the organization started.
Miami Diaper Bank had a humble beginning as a small community service project that my son, Jonah, founded when he was just 13 years old. After hearing about the diaper crisis and an active Diaper Bank in Connecticut on NPR, Jonah organized a diaper drive at his school and collected over 1,000 diapers. When he looked for a diaper bank to donate the diapers to locally, assuming there would already be a Miami Diaper Bank in existence, he couldn’t find one and realized the need in the South Florida community was much more than he expected. Jonah approached me about creating an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for his 8th grade class project, and I thought it was an amazing idea.
How has the organization evolved? How has it grown?
What started out as a small community service project for Jonah is now the first established diaper bank in Miami. Over the past few years Miami Diaper Bank has grown and taken on a life of its own. Jonah is now attending college, but is still actively involved with the Miami Diaper Bank in his free time. We currently work with 37+ nonprofit recipient partners in over 6 South Florida counties, including Lotus House, Palm Beach Health Department, Broward Partnership and the Early Learning Coalition. Since it was established, Miami Diaper Bank has donated over 1,200,000 diapers in the community .
How can people get involved and help?
Donating diapers or dollars through Jet.com goes a long way because of the special diaper discount we have access to through the JetCares program. In addition, Miami Diaper Bank has currently launched a special campaign called #oneforbabies, which is inspired by the motto, “Small Change Affects Big Change.” Doing something within your reach can create small change and positively affect those around you, which to us….is changing the world! Community members, corporations and volunteers are encouraged to raise a minimum of $100 through the course of a year (365 days) to help babies stay clean, dry and healthy for up to 4 months. Another great way to get involved is to create fundraising opportunities to bring together your friends and family to support other families who need the extra help this holiday season. In the past, we’ve seen a lot of creative ideas such as hosting a taco night, donating your special event to Miami Diaper Bank and even a neighborhood lemonade stand! If you can’t afford to donate dollars or diapers you can always offer to volunteer to assist with diaper deliveries to local shelters or even help spread the word about our cause on social media.
Is there anything else people should know about your mission?
Many people are unaware that government assistance programs, such as food stamps and WIC do not provide funding for diapers, a basic necessity for all babies. Most daycare centers in Florida require parents to provide disposable diapers for their children to attend - so if they can't afford diapers, it's difficult to find steady work as they have limited options for childcare. In partnership with Jet.com, Miami Diaper Bank has access to high quality diapers at a special discounted price which allows donations to go the extra mile. Miami Diaper Bank has also partner with the National Diaper Bank Network and the Baby2Baby National Network to provide even more assistance to families affected by the #diaperneed.
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Miami Diaper Bank’s inspiring story is an awesome example of how children can make a real difference to other people’s live. If your child is passionate about a cause, want to get involved in the community and is thinking about starting their own nonprofit, read what Jonah Schaechter, Co-Founder of the Miami Diaper Bank, answers to our last question:
What would you tell a kid that wants to start a non-profit? What is your best piece of advice?
As part of the Middle School and High School requirements there is a community service component that must be met. Most other kids meet this obligation by doing good work with an established not for profit entity. There is nothing wrong with that. In my case I wanted to FEEL like I made a difference by helping people but also enjoying the time spent with the community service project and it was important to create a legacy.
My advice to anyone looking to start a not for profit is to find a project or cause that will be fulfilling to you personally. I heard an NPR story about how low-income families cannot afford enough diapers for their babies and the consequences that ensued. It made me feel bad for the babies who cannot speak and ask for better care. The report outlined that food stamps do not cover diapers and therefore parents who have a hard time affording the basics- food, housing etc hardly afford 8-10 diapers per day.
I wanted to speak for those poor babies and help them get what they needed. It was fulfilling to know I could meet that need.
Another piece of advice is seek an adult mentor that can help you. In my case it was my dad who assisted me in the process of setting up the 501c3 designation which was not a simple process and required an adult with some ability to navigate the government bureaucracy and its obstacles.
If you can find a cause that you are passionate about and a good mentor, you can start a non-profit just like I did!
To learn more about the Miami Diaper Bank, watch this informational (less than 2-minute)
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