National Diaper Bank Network joins national COVID-19 vaccination campaign

Diaper banker inspired by father's efforts to fight disease

NEW HAVEN, Conn., Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) is getting information about COVID vaccines into hard-to-reach neighborhoods as a community partner with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' We Can Do This campaign. The effort comes as NDBN members have already increased by 86% the volume of diapers, period supplies, and other material basic necessities they provide, in response to the pandemic. 

For Northern Virginia Diaper Bank Program Director Susan Mullen, freeing communities from disease runs in the family. Mullen was born in Bolivia, where her father, C. Burton Keppler, in the 1950s went by car, by donkey, and by foot into the Andes to get smallpox vaccines to remote villages.

Today Mullen is helping to organize a free vaccination clinic and leading an effort to get accurate information about COVID-19 vaccinations for young children into the community she serves.

NDBN got involved with We Can Do This in part because COVID vaccines are now recommended for children starting at six months of age, and getting information to families with young children is critical.

"Susan's family story points out that good health happens on the ground, where people live," said NDBN Board Chair Amy Daly Donovan. "That's why the We Can Do This campaign partnered with organizations that are already providing vital services, like NDBN. Whether it's putting vaccination information on packages of diapers or hosting events where people can get vaccines and testing kits, basic needs banks are doing work that simply could not be done by people who lack roots in the community."

"NDBN provides diapers and period supplies because these things are essential for good health and to participate fully in life," said NDBN CEO Joanne Samuel Goldblum. "It's outrageous that one in three families cannot afford the diapers their children need. It's also outrageous that things like internet access, insurance, or immigration status could keep a family from getting the health information they need. When we heard about the We Can Do This campaign, we knew we had to join."

In addition to NDBN and its Alliance for Period Supplies, the We Can Do This campaign relied upon community groups like AARP, the American Red Cross, Feeding America, Meals on Wheels, and the National Parent–Teacher Association to spread accurate information about COVID vaccines. The American Academy of Pediatrics and other prominent health care groups have supplied experts to speak at events around the country.

"More than 100 member basic needs banks have signed on to deliver COVID-19 vaccination information in their communities," said Goldblum. "NDBN's mission is to ensure that no one is deprived life's essentials–and accurate health information is certainly essential."

Susan Mullen was 18 months old when her parents, Burt and Dorothy Keppler, who were nurses, arrived in Bolivia on a medical mission with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Burt would later go on to get a medical degree. During his three and a half years in Bolivia, he gave physicals to school children, pulled teeth, and treated various ailments. He also gave immunizations, including the smallpox vaccine, as part of the worldwide effort to eradicate the disease. 

"You do what you can, when you can, where you can," Mullen said her dad, who passed away in 2008, would often say. The effort to wipe out smallpox was huge, but the service of people like the Kepplers around the globe was vital to it. Whether he was navigating rivers on a raft laden with vaccines or driving narrow cliffside roads, Keppler was doing what he could.

Mullen said that her own life was shaped by her parents' example of service. The family left Bolivia when she was just six, after her father fell ill with hepatitis A. But their travels continued, with her parents serving communities in Mexico, Ukraine, and many other destinations. Mullen has often thought of her father during the We Can Do This campaign. "My dad would just be rolling up his sleeves and want to come up here and help."

The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) provides material basic necessities required to build the strong foundations all children, families, and individuals require to thrive and reach their full potential. We work in partnership with our Network of diaper banks, allied programs, donors, sponsors, and elected officials to end diaper need and period poverty in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' COVID-19 public education campaign, We Can Do This, is a national initiative to increase public confidence in and uptake of COVID vaccines while reinforcing basic prevention measures such as mask wearing and social distancing.

Alabama

• Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank, Birmingham     

Arizona

• Family Network/The Diaper Collective, Springdale      
• Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona, Tucson        

California

• Community Action Partnership of Orange County, Garden Grove
• Good+Foundation LA, Los Angeles        
• Open Arms Food Pantry and Resource Center, Los Angeles
• Help A Mother Out, Oakland         
• Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, Sacramento

Colorado

• WeeCycle, Aurora
• United Way of Weld County Covering Weld Diaper Bank, Greeley

Connecticut

• The Diaper Bank of Connecticut, North Haven

District of Columbia

• Greater DC Diaper Bank, Washington   

Florida           

• The Diaper Bank, Covering South Florida, Boca Raton         
• The Greater Fort Lauderdale Diaper Bank, Cooper City
• Safe Future Foundation, Jacksonville
• Diaper Bank for Northeast Florida, Orange Park          
• Babycycle Diaper Bank, Pinellas Park   

Georgia

• Athens Area Diaper Bank, Bogart
• Helping Mamas, Inc., Norcross
• Over the Moon, Savannah

Hawaii

• Hawaii Diaper Bank, Kamuela
• Aloha Diaper Bank, Kaneohe

Iowa

• Eastern Iowa Diaper Bank, Cedar Rapids

Illinois

• Share Our Spare, Chicago
• Bundled Blessings, Evanston
• Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank, Galesburg

Indiana

•  All-Options Hoosier Diaper Program, Bloomington      
• Indiana Diaper Bank, Indianapolis
• The Diaper Bank of East Central Indiana, Muncie       

Kansas

• Just Food of Douglas County, Lawrence

Massachusetts

• United Way of the Franklin & Hampshire Region Diaper Bank, Greenfield
• A Baby Center, Hyannis    
• Berkshire Community Diaper Project, Pittsfield

Maine

• Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services, Portland          

Maryland

• ShareBaby, Baltimore

Michigan

• Metropolitan Detroit Diaper Bank, Detroit
• The Natural Momma Me Initiative, Detroit          
• St. Luke's Diaper Bank, Kalamazoo   
• The Diaper Alliance, Midland       

Minnesota

• Diaper Bank of Minnesota, Saint Paul   

Missouri

• HappyBottoms, Kansas City         
• New Madrid County Family Resource, New Madrid    
• St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, Saint Louis

Mississippi

• Diaper Bank of the Delta, Batesville       

Montana

• Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley Community Diaper Bank, Billings   

North Carolina

• Babies Need Bottoms Diaper Bank, Asheville
• Diaper Bank of North Carolina, Durham

North Dakota

• Dakota Diaper Pantry (Project BEE), Minot

New Jersey

• HomeFront, Lawrenceville
• Modestly Cover Diaper Bank of Essex County, Monroe Twp 
• Central Jersey Diaper Bank- AECDC, New Brunswick           
• Moms Helping Moms, Warren

New Mexico

• The Junior League of Albuquerque Diaper Bank, Albuquerque
• The Food Depot, Santa Fe

Nevada

• Baby's Bounty, Las Vegas

New York

• The HopeLine, Bronx
• Expecting Relief, Brooklyn
• Little Essentials, Brooklyn 
• Every Bottom Covered Inc, Buffalo         
• CNY Diaper Bank, Liverpool
•  Allied Foundation, Melville
• Good+Foundation NY, New York
• Westchester County Diaper Bank, Scarsdale
• Baby Steps Baby Pantry,    Walden

Ohio

• Project MKC, Boardman
• Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank, Cincinnati 
• Diaper Bank of Greater Cleveland, Cleveland  
• Columbus Diaper Bank, Columbus        
• Bottoms Up Diaper Drive, Lancaster       
• Gem City Diaper Bank, Trotwood 

Oklahoma

• Emergency Infant Services, Tulsa           

Oregon

• PDX Diaper Bank, Portland

Pennsylvania          

• Healthy Steps Diaper Bank, Harrisburg 
• Mitzvah Circle Foundation, Norristown  
• Cradles to Crayons, Philadelphia
• Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank, Philadelphia         
• Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank, Pittsburgh          

Puerto Rico

• Banco de Alimentos Puerto Rico Inc, Carolina 

Rhode Island

• Project Undercover, Inc., Warwick

South Carolina

• Power in Changing, Columbia    

Tennessee

• Sweet Cheeks Diaper Ministry, Cordova
• Nashville Diaper Connection, Nashville

Texas

• Austin Diaper Bank, Austin          
• Hope Supply Co., Dallas   
• Baby Booties Diaper Bank, McKinney    
• Texas Diaper Bank, San Antonio

Utah

• Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, Logan
• Utah Diaper Bank, Murray

Virginia

• NOVA Diaper Bank, Ashburn      
• Urban Baby Beginnings, Richmond       
• Fairfax Diapers, Vienna    

Vermont

• Junior League of Champlain Valley Diaper Bank, Shelburne          

Washington

• Diaper Bank of Skagit County, Burlington         
• Eastside Baby Corner, Issaquah 
• Help Me Grow Pierce County, Tacoma   

Wisconsin

• Walworth County Food & Diaper Bank, Elkhorn          
• Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Franklin       
• Pregnancy Helpline Inc of Madison, Madison  
• Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank, Neenah

Wyoming

• Family Promise Albany County, Laramie

Alabama

• Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank, Birmingham     

Arizona

• Women4Women, Tempe   

California,

• Sisters On The Streets, North Hills          

Colorado

• Project Distributing Dignity, Castle Rock

Connecticut

• The Diaper Bank of Connecticut, North Haven

Florida

• Safe Future Foundation, Jacksonville
• Embrace of Celebration, Kissimmee       

Georgia

• Helping Mamas, Inc., Norcross    
• Over the Moon, Savannah

Illinois

• Loving Bottoms Diaper Bank, Galesburg           

Maine

• Michael Klahr Jewish Family Services, Portland

Michigan

• Charitable Union, Battle Creek    
• Metropolitan Detroit Diaper Bank, Detroit           
• The Natural Momma Me Initiative, Detroit
• Helping Women Period, Lansing
• The Diaper Alliance - Project Dottie, Midland    

Missouri

• St. Louis Area Diaper Bank, St. Louis     

Mississippi

• Diaper Bank of the Delta, Batesville

North Carolina

• Diaper Bank of North Carolina, Durham

New Jersey

• The Flow Initiative, Jersey City     
• Fresh Start, New, Providence       
• Moms Helping Moms, Warren      

Ohio

• Tidal Babe Period Bank, Cincinnati        
• The Period Pantry Project, Columbus     

Pennsylvania

• Mitzvah Circle Foundation, Norristown  
• Greater Philadelphia Diaper Bank, Philadelphia         
• Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank, Pittsburgh          

South Carolina

• Power In Changing - Power Cycle, Columbia  

Texas

• Bright Spot, Austin 
• Baby Booties, McKinney   
• Texas Diaper Bank, San Antonio

Utah

• Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, Logan

Virginia

• The Kwek Society, Arlington
• Sylvia's Sisters, Richmond           

Wisconsin

• Milwaukee Diaper Mission, Franklin       
• On the Dot, Neenah           

SOURCE National Diaper Bank Network