Rosecrance’s Rev. Jim Swarthout was recently featured in the National Catholic Reporter. His idea for a Diaper Bank has grown into The National Diaper Bank Network, a system of nonprofit groups that helps to provide about 98 million diapers annually to needy families who can’t afford them.
“I have never seen something, in all my years of priestly ministry, break barriers between service agencies and churches,” Swarthout said in a phone interview. “Catholic, Episcopalians, Lutherans, they all came together at the table when we really didn’t have a clergy association.”
In 2009, these diaper banks caught the attention of Huggies, an international diaper and wipes company. Huggies brought together Goldblum, Swarthout and eight others, representing 10 of the nation’s first — and potentially only — diaper banks, to brainstorm about the need. After several meetings, they decided to start a national entity that could spread awareness. Huggies, Swarthout, Goldblum and the other diaper bank founders created the National Diaper Bank Network, which was incorporated in 2011 and has grown from a founding membership of 40 diaper banks to 195 today.
Read the full article here:
http://ncronline.org/news/faith-parish/diaper-banks-meet-overlooked-need