Do the Right Thing, a non-profit in Auburn, Washington, recently completed its annual March of Diapers drive, collecting and distributing 347,281 diapers and nearly 65,000 wipes to community organizations, including Care Net of Puget Sound.
Do the right thing is helping to meet the needs of at-risk families by partnering with public and private organizations to supply essential needs and raise awareness and support for babies through donations of diapers and wipes.
The March of Diapers drive began more than nine years ago when Cheryl Hurst visited a domestic violence shelter and was shocked to find only one box of diapers in the facility.
“I had this inexplicable feeling that something had to be done to fix this problem,” he said.
Hurst then did something meaningful and founded Do the Right Thing. Since 2014, the annual March of Diapers drive has provided more than 1.3 million diapers to community organizations. Do the Right Thing organizes fundraisers and other community-building activities that promote the health and well-being of local families.
In a recent interview with Seattle Now about the March of DiapersHurst said that “the level of demand is about as great as it can possibly be today.”
Do the Right Thing estimates that disposable diapers can cost families up to $125 per baby per month. Hurst spoke about the difficulties parents face in buying diapers, especially as the prices of food and other household items continue to rise: “They told me this story with tears in their eyes. in their eyes, saying, ‘I have to determine between buying diapers. for my child, or putting gas in my car to go to work.’”
Across the country, pregnancy resource centers and other community organizations often focus on helping families in this way because government-aided safety programs don’t pay for diapers and wipes. During the annual March of Diapers initiative, Do the Right Thing collects these products from local businesses and the public.
In 2023, diapers are distributed to organizations such as food banks, shelters, refugee centers, and pregnancy resource centers. Care Net of Puget Soundwhich consists of six pregnancy resource centers in the greater Auburn area, received 18,100 diapers and 7,092 wipes this year from Do the Right Thing.
Care Net of Puget Sound “offers hope by providing compassionate practical care, accurate information, Biblical Truth, and life-affirming resources for pregnancy, sexual health and integrity, and abortion repeal.”
“[Diapers and wipes] is a much-needed resource for our clients, who often come in and really don’t have anything,” Michael Sandberg, Pierce County’s director of church relations Care Net of Puget Sound, told Federal Way Mirror.
In 2023, more than 70 partners across the region helped collect donations and raise funds for the March of Diapers. Hurst is grateful for the generosity shown in her community and the opportunity to bless young parents.
“It’s a lot of boxes and a lot of joy, and some of that [nonprofit representatives] actually cried when we first arrived.” Hurst told Seattle Now. “There’s really something about the fact that we’re helping the most vulnerable people out there.”
