For families with young children, diapers and wipes are everyday necessities. They can also take a pretty good bite out of a family's budget.
A new program at the Webster County Health Unit hopes to make that burden a little easier for local families.
The Baby Bridge recently launched to provide diapers, baby wipes and other non-food necessities to Webster County families with children still in diapers.
Louise Bigley, health education coordinator at the Webster County Health Unit, said the program came from a simple question the department has been asking: What do local families need that they aren't always able to find elsewhere?
“We’re trying to provide non-food baby resources for families,” Bigley said.
Despite the Baby Bridge name, the program isn't only for infants. It covers children from newborns through the potty-training years, as long as they are still using diapers.
Families can receive baby packs with diapers, wipes and other available supplies. The program also provides household packs containing non-food necessities.
What's inside those packs may change from month to month. Depending on available supplies, families could find toothpaste, toothbrushes, shampoo, feminine hygiene products and other basic household items.
The Baby Bridge is a new program, but the idea behind it has been developing for a while.
Over the past couple of years, the Webster County Health Unit has been looking at needs and gaps in services throughout the community.
Bigley said one thing became increasingly clear. Families sometimes need help with basic items that aren't food but are still essential.
Those needs also became apparent through the Health Unit's community navigator program, which began less than a year ago.
Community navigators help people figure out where to turn when they're struggling with a particular need.
Someone having trouble putting food on the table, for example, may receive emergency assistance and then be connected with a local food pantry. For other problems, navigators can help residents find organizations and services available throughout Webster County.
Baby Bridge grew out of that same approach — identify a need and then try to connect families with some help.
The program will operate based on the supplies available each month.
The Health Unit will receive an allotment of diapers and prepare baby packs for families. When those packs are ready, an announcement will be posted on the Webster County Health Unit's Facebook page.
Families can receive one baby pack per child in diapers each month. That means a family with two children using diapers can receive two packs.
Each family may also receive one household pack while supplies last.
Because Baby Bridge is just getting started, Bigley said the Health Unit is still learning how much demand there will be.
The early numbers suggest it could be substantial.
“We think we’re going to be able to meet over 100 baby needs this month,” Bigley said. “So we’re super excited about that.”
And the program won't necessarily end for a family when a child is ready to leave diapers behind.
Baby Bridge will also offer a one-time potty-training kit to help families through that next stage.
“We know potty training can sometimes be a struggle,” Bigley said. “So we want to help support that as well.”
Getting the program off the ground took some help.
The Webster County Health Unit is partnering with the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks. The Health Unit pays a membership fee to receive diapers that can then be distributed to local families.
The program also received startup help through a one-time Resiliency Grant from the Lewis L. and Julia Dorothy Hoover Foundation.
That funding has allowed the Health Unit to begin the program while learning more about demand and what it will cost to keep Baby Bridge operating.
The next question will be how to keep those shelves stocked in the months and years ahead.
Bigley said donations from individuals or organizations in the community could help make that possible.
“If there was someone in the community that wanted to donate to secure this project, we would love that,” she said.
For the Health Unit, Baby Bridge is another way to address needs that may seem small until a family doesn't have the money to buy them.
A package of diapers. Baby wipes. Shampoo or toothpaste. Those are simple things, but for a family trying to stretch every dollar, they matter.
“We hope that this really helps with our families and helps to bridge over their needs,” Bigley said.
Families interested in receiving assistance can follow the Webster County Health Unit on Facebook. The Health Unit will post an announcement each month when Baby Bridge supplies are available.
