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Just Between Friends Consignment sale donates door money to HappyBottoms.org!

2010-03-05T15:36:31Z

Recently I connected with Just Between Friends Consignment Sale in Lee's Summit. A few times a year they organize a big event where you can bring your children's clothes, toys, really anything baby/kid related and sell it. I know many people who LOVE this event :) I told them about happybottoms.org and although they are already involved with giving to several organization, they still wanted to help out! Yay for us! I am thrilled to say they generously donated all of the door entry fee money from this past sale to HappyBottoms.org!!

As you can see from the picture....we got a lot of diapers! Thank you Amber Post and family who runs the JBF Lee's Summit Sale AND thanks to those of you who shopped this sale and contributed to our recent diaper collection.

Looking for 50 good men, women and children...

2010-03-01T21:32:18Z

April is National Child Abuse Prevention month. In honor of this we at happybottoms.org would like to recruit 50 people to take it upon themselves to collect 1000 diapers each. The goal - 50,000 diapers in April!

A few statistics:
Five children every day die from child abuse and neglect in the United States. More than in any other industrialized nation.

Studies have shown a child left in a diaper to long (therefore crying and unhappy) is more likely to be abused by an already stressed out caregiver.

Of children confirmed abused and neglected nationwide in 2007, 60% of them did not receive proper food, clothing,shelter, hygiene, medical care or protection.

By collecting more diapers we can take one more tiny step into the lives of those less fortunate and maybe stop some of the abuse and neglect.

The reality of 1000 diapers to you
Costco bulk diaper boxes have 258 diapers in them at $40 per box. Get four friends to sign on and WHAM, you have your 1000 diapers! Target, Walmart, Sam's Club etc. also have similar "bulk" boxes, often times on sale.

OR
You could spread that word at your work, school, anywhere really and just ask people to donate diapers. Small packs, big packs, open packs, whatever they have. You will be amazed what a little "asking" can get you.

JUST THINK
Can you imagine the mood you would be in having to take the bus to get to costco or walmart, babies in tow, to get bulk diapers at a decent price and then lugging all of that home? Most of us don't even want to lug it to our cars! Think of the mom's and families you can help! As our friends at Help A Mother Out say "Give Cheeks A Chance!"

Today I made our largest delivery yet.....

2010-02-25T20:05:44Z

I've discovered that my car only really carries about 3000 diapers if I push it AND if Riley is not in her car seat with me. Luckily for me my dad retired this year, congrats btw dad, and happens to have a big 15 passenger van that he has used for work for years. The van is emptied out (no seats except driver and passenger) and has been very handy in delivering diapers. Thanks again dad :)

So today I loaded up the big red van and drove it down to the Salvation Army Children's Shelter. I should tell you I was pretty sheltered growing up. My dad grew up in what now are considered the very worst parts of town. And as far as he's concerned he would rather me not spend time in most areas of "kansas city". I lived in NY and considered pretty much no area of NYC unsafe, yet I still get that "should I really be driving through this area by myself" feeling in parts of KC because I grew up to be scared. Not sure what to expect this morning, I head out, doors locked. :)

I should also tell you I am pretty new to this whole "giving back" and "doing good" thing. For years I always thought, man I should really do something and then I would donate a few bucks here and there to make myself feel a little better. Not that that money didn't count mind you, but I had never been really involved. I've never seen first hand how that money is used, or what goes on when you volunteer your time.

Today, I got to see. I toured the Children's Shelter and it was spectacular. To see first hand kids of all ages being cared for in a loving and stable environment (some for the first time ever) was eye opening. I'm not sure I can put it into words (although it might help if I were an actual writer). I know first hand that I've heard the same things I'm writing about now told to me, but until I saw it for myself I was not impacted. These kids are getting food, love, structure, learning on so many levels, skills to become a great person despite their hardships. My initial reaction was a bit heart-broken, but quickly turned to awe, amazement and appreciation. Awe at the sweetest little toddler that waved at me with the happiest grin ever despite the circumstance that landed him at this shelter. Amazement to realize that there are places like this in every nook and cranny in the world. Appreciation for those who make it possible to help these children and at the children themselves for not giving up. From the art room (my daughter would LOVE it there) to the computer room and the pre-school room, to the kids bedrooms they stay in, everything was perfect. The gratitude and joy that come from a supply of diapers that all I did was deliver - awesome.

If you every have the opportunity to see first hand how your money or donations are being used, I urge you to take advantage of that. I have a new gratitude for the time, support and ability to take on this project and help in one teen-tiny way in this great big world and am extra thankful to all of you who not only support me and happybottoms, but who support any cause! Thank YOU!

CALL TO ACTION

2010-02-25T20:02:40Z

We need YOU to hold your own mini-drive in March!!

We need diapers! Get your church, school, play group, business, insurance agents (my mom asked hers to donate!), friends, anyone involved. Heck, just throw a party and collect some money to buy diapers. :) Currently we need sizes 4, 5, 6 and New Born. No donations is to big or to small!

If I could get 234 people ( our current fan base just to pick a number) to donate $10 each, I could buy 7,728 Size 5 diapers. That's a lot of healthy baby bottoms!

And don't forget - we still need volunteers to raise 1000 diapers in April for National Child Abuse Prevention Month.

A Young Lady's Goal to raise 3000 Diapers

2010-02-16T20:19:16Z

Early in January I received an email about a young lady, Carly Shniderson. Carly came across happybottoms.org and decided that she would like to support this cause for her Bat Mitzvah with a hefty goal of collecting 3,000 Diapers! Quite the undertaking.

Emails were sent, word was spread and the big day came and went and diapers were still coming. I picked up these diapers last week and.......

Carly collected 1872 actual diapers PLUS monetary donations covering the purchase of 1260 Diapers. I am very happy to say Carly reached and exceeded her goal! 3,132 Diapers!

Congrats Carly!! And Thank You to you and your family for helping spread the word about happybottoms.org!

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T19:46:17Z

Sitting here this morning at the kitchen table, computer open, looking out over the snow and coldness that has hit the area and reflecting about "all this diapers stuff".

We had a great start to HappyBottoms.org. I can't tell you the nervousness that went in to our first big project 7000 diapers in 7 days. I had to make cold calls to retailers to get them on board (hello, if you know me you know the only person I like talking to on the phone is my mother, I can text all day, but phone?!). It was pure torture for me. In perspective, my main torture during that time was making phone calls?! What about the moms and families out there I'm trying to help. Phone calls are the least of their worries. Surely if someone out there is trying to decide whether to pay the heating bill or buy diapers for their newborn, I can pick up the phone and make a few calls. So I may be meet with some "NO's" (which i wasn't by the way) I'd still be just fine. Unlike my fellow family out there who are struggling, this is a challenge that's just not a big deal in the grand scheme.

Phone calls down - check. Retailers on board - check. Press coverage - check. Sit back and wait......

Astonishingly, we got calls in the first few days from our retailers that their drop bins were overflowing! Could we please make a pick up. I thought for sure that would be it. A big rush from the beginning and then no more. But no - the same stores called again, another big pick up needs to be made. It was the middle of the week and we had meet our goal, now to up the ante. Can we double our goal. And as you know, double it we did!

A big thank you again to all of our retail stores who participated including all Children's Orchard locations, The Learning Tree (both locations), Mady and Me, The Little House, GoBug, Kiddo's Collection and Bike Source.

An even bigger thanks to the individuals who stepped up and made donations and really came through for that drive. David Hejduk who took it on himself to turn a bike race into a diaper drive and collecting 2000 diapers in one day! A neighbor of Angi Hejduk's who told neighbors and friends about our drive and said "I expect to come home every night to a doorstep full of diapers" And she too raised over 2000 diapers outside of our 7000/7 days drive.

To Robin Slattery who went to bat and asked her child's day care to host a drive (currently happening!!) a big Thank You!!

To ZenZone Yoga and Darling Yoga studios hosting drives starting this week another Thank You!!

To the holiday donors Thank You!

In the words of our friends at Help A Mother Out (helpamotherout.org);

"Lives have been made easier by the number of diapers collected. Families were able to pay their utility bill. Women fleeing domestic violence did not have to take a bus across town just to get emergency diapers. Their shelter had diapers to give them. Social workers brought diapers to isolated single mothers with limited resources and no family support. Families facing dire situations and crisis were able to concentrate on more pressing matters, instead of worrying whether or not they would run out of clean diapers for their baby before payday. Mothers could stay in school or go to work. Food was put on tables. Babies went to bed at night with a clean diaper. They didn’t get painful diaper rash. Their parents could afford medicine. We created a little safety net in our immediate communities. Our babies were kept safe and healthy."

To Help A Mother Out and The Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona and all the other diaper banks across the nation - You have done amazing work and set the pathway. Thank You!

And to all of you helping spread the word about the need of diapers...Thank You!

If our 2009 start says anything it's that 2010 will be a great year for diapers!

7000 Diapers in 7 Days collects 14,713 Diapers!!!!

2009-11-28T20:47:23Z

KANSAS CITY YOU ROCK!!!

Our 7000 Diapers in 7 Days diaper drive has come to an end with smashing success! We more than doubled our goal! A breakdown of store by store counts...

Childrens Orchard Olathe - 2,102

Mady and Me - 2,056

Childrens Orchard Kansas City - 1,448

Learning Tree in Prairie Village - 1,375

Childrens Orchard Independence - 1,138

Learning Tree Leawood - 1,165

Little House Kids - 787

GoBug Baby and Kids - 634

Kiddos Collection - 417

Bike Source - 350

Childrens Orchard Blue Springs - 349

Childrens Orchard Lee's Summit - 100

Individual Collections - 2,792

TOTAL= 14,713

In other news.....On sunday, David Hedjuk of 360 Racing, challenged the cycling community to raise diapers at the Kansas State Championship Cyclocross Race. Enticing his fellow racers to donate more by offering to race in a diaper if any other team brought more diapers than the 360 team. Well folks, team 360 pulled through and David did not have to go Diaper style in the freezing, cold weather!! Thank you David for raising (at last count) 2,649! Cycling community you ROCK!

A HUGE THANKS to all of our participating drop store locations (check out their links up and to the right)!

And to the many individuals who collected diapers themselves at work or through friends for this drive. Thanks for helping this brand spankin new organization double our goal!!