In what's being hailed as a major win for Northern California families, the Rice County Diaper Bank Collaborative has been doubling down on efforts to support infants and toddlers in need. Heather Luethje, who works with the Rice County Public Health's Family Visiting Program, expressed the immense gratitude of clients: "Every family is so appreciative and grateful for something so small but yet so big in the grand scheme of managing their month-to-month budget," she told Rice County's official website. These sentiments reflect the deep impact that the initiative is making on easing the financial strain for young families.
Despite the efforts made before 2024, the Community Action Center (CAC) struggled to keep diapers available. Costs of up to $100 per month per child, along with the lack of support from food assistance programs, placed a significant burden on families. Yet, the CAC has now managed to drastically increase its diaper distribution, moving well beyond the 150,000 diapers disposed in 2023, thanks to collaborations with organizations like the Twin Cities-based Diaper Bank of Minnesota. After joining the National Diaper Bank Network in 2023, the CAC distributed more than 350,000 diapers in 2024, according to a recent statement from Rice County.
With the demand for diapers remaining high, the CAC, alongside partners such as Rice County Public Health, Growing Up Healthy, and Three Rivers Community Action, continue to work tirelessly to meet the community's needs. Michael Pursell, CAC's food access program director, pointed out, "We get asked about diapers all the time.” He added, “But none of our organizations knew how great the need was before forming the Rice County Diaper Bank Collaborative," as stated by Rice County's official site.
With the Community Action Center welcoming donations of both cash and diapers, there is a continued push for sustainability in their mission. The program not only supplies local food shelves and various families in need but also launches a wider call to the community for support, recognizing the difference it can make for children and families alike. "That’s a giant investment in the health of our children and families," Pursell said, Rice County noted.
