GALESBURG, Ill. (April 22, 2020)– Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank received a $150,000 grant from the Illinois COVID-19 Response Fund (ICRF) to supply essential needs including diapers and wipes. Grant dollars from ICRF will assist Loving Bottoms in providing essential products to families in Knox, Warren, Mercer, Peoria, Henry, Stark, Fulton, Tazewell, Henderson, and Rock Island Counties. The ICRF was established by the United Way of Illinois and the Alliance of Illinois Community Foundations, in collaboration with the Office of the Governor.
Lee Ann Porter, executive director of Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank said, “Before COVID-19, 1 in 3 families struggled to provide enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry and healthy. On a normal month, our program distributes over 18,000 diapers to more than 360 children and families. We have been a reliable resource for the community since our founding in 2015.”
Due to COVID-19, the number of families seeking support from diaper bank programs throughout the country has skyrocketed. Hoarding, loss of jobs, and shelter in place orders have forced more families to turn to nonprofit diaper banks, depleting available supplies.
Porter said, “Requests for diapers from organizations and individuals across the region keep coming in. It is hard to keep up with demand, we have seen our major source of diapers (diaper drives and donation locations) stopped or closed due to COVID-19. The ICRF grant will allow us to take what we are already doing in the community and amplify it. Our goal is to distribute over half a million diapers in the coming months. That will go a long way toward ensuring all babies have clean dry diapers. The ICRF funds will help to support the network of 20 partner agencies that Loving Bottoms already supports. In addition, the diaper bank will be holding drive-thru diaper distributions across the region.”
Families in need of assistance can find a list of partner agencies that have diapers, as well as dates/locations of upcoming drive-thru diaper distributions, on the organization’s website, leeannp1.sg-host.com/covid19
To help support Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank, visit leeannp1.sg-host.com/donate/ or mail your check, made out to Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank to 3021 W. Main Street, Galesburg, IL 61401.
For more information about Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank visit www.LovingBottoms.org.
For more information about the ICRF visit https://www.ilcovidresponsefund.org/.
About Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank
Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank streamlines the collection and distribution of diapers to low-income families in the West Central Illinois region. With diapers and financial donations collected from the community, the Diaper Bank partners with existing service organizations to serve families who are most in need of diapers to keep their little ones clean and dry, healthy, and happy. Learn more at www.LovingBottoms.org.
– END –