Not long ago, Kristen (Wiener) Grode saw a need and wanted to fill the void. The need: clean, dry diapers for infants and toddlers in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. So rather than sit idly by, she decided to do something about it, creating the first charity of its type, The Diaper Drive www.thediaperdrive.com.
The purpose of the Diaper Drive is four-fold - to help prevent health and neglect issues for children by giving low-income families access to fresh, properly fitting diapers; to partner with the community, collecting diapers and/or funds to purchase diapers; to act as a vendor to public service agencies with diaper needs; and to advocate, through the use of technology and social media, that "basic human needs" include diapers and that these needs are not being met for many children and adults.
Since beginning the Diaper Drive, Kristen has been featured in various media - a front-page article in the Star Tribune (http://www.startribune.com/local/99177504.html), Twin Cities Live (http://twincitieslive.com/article/stories/s1645700.shtml?cat=10698), and the Minnesota Sun (http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2010/07/15/news/fw/fw15diapers.txt) as well as getting other publicity through things like Yoga Nights.
On Thursday night - 29 July 2010 - the Diaper Drive, along with Families Moving Forward, will host Dinner for Diapers ... a night of music by Glen Everhart (remember when he used to sing on the Deck Bar with his partner, Fyder?), silent auction bidding, and noshing on great food! If you live in the metro, or will be in the metro area on Thursday night, please consider attending. For a small $5 donation (suggested), you too can help make a difference in the lives of the diaper-wearers and their caretakers. The event will be held at 1808 North Emerson Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55411 and will begin at 6:30pm.
In the meantime, check out the Diaper Drive's website and consider donating any unused, spare diapers you may have toward Kristen's efforts. Andria (Fisher) Kvitek has also started a branch of the Diaper Drive in the Duluth area.
No comments:
Post a Comment