“They have really open arms to welcome you and say, hey you’re a parent. We understand you. We understand where you’re coming from.”
When staff and volunteers at Gracefully Broken food pantry in Antioch first partnered with the Food Bank to offer a free diaper giveaway during a family fun day, it quickly became clear there was a gap in their community that needed filling.
“(We hear) that it is a lifesaver,” says founder Randi Garcia. “ We had one lady who recently took in all three of her grandchildren, and two of them are still in diapers. She didn’t realize how expensive they were. She comes to us for food, but now she also comes for the diapers.”
Gracefully Broken is one of over 245 agency partners who work with the Food Bank to fight hunger in our community. Thanks to your support we’re able to help our partners access food, training, and resources to better serve our community. And, over the past year, we’ve been able to use California State diaper bank funds to connect key agency partners – and the neighbors they serve – to this much-needed additional resource.
“You’re a parent. We understand you.”
“Diapers and wipes are a really tough thing to afford at the moment. I spend almost half my budget limit with it,” shares Ruth, who volunteers at the pantry and sometimes picks up diapers for her own young daughter.
Knowing Gracefully Broken is there when she needs it, whether for food or diapers, means one less worry for her and the families she helps serve.
“It means a lot… just having a place to go without feeling that panic,” she says. “They have really open arms to welcome you and say, hey you’re a parent. We understand you. We understand where you’re coming from.”
1 in 2 families struggle to afford diapers
For many families with young children, rising food costs aren’t the only factor straining limited budgets. High prices for diapers are also leading to tough choices.
According to the National Diaper Bank Network, 1 in 2 families with young kids say they are not able to afford all the diapers they need each month. Without diapers needed for childcare, family members risk missing work and school. More than a third of those families say they will sometimes skip meals to save money for diapers.
With the support of the Food Bank, and hunger fighters like you, Gracefully Broken now provides diapers to over 80 families a month in Antioch, in addition to food. Together, we’re helping families access more resources that provide stability, certainty, and fight hunger at its roots!