Sarah Gibbs

Executive Director, Bay Area Diaper Bank
Silicon Valley, California

Sarah's involvement with diaper need began when she volunteered to take on the role of San Jose Area Manager to help Lisa Truong, co-founder of Help A Mother Out and a longtime friend, hold diaper drives. Sarah says: "I was deeply moved by stories about moms who were working very hard but still had to choose between diapers, food and day care since they couldn't afford all these things. There were moms spending entire afternoons taking buses across town just to get 2 or 3 diapers. And some were selling the food they got with food stamps, which doesn't cover diapers, to buy this basic necessity for their children."

The drives that Sarah organized were so successful she was asked to become Executive Director of Bay Area Diaper Bank. Founded in 2008, it distributes 15,000 diapers a month through 6 social service agencies.

The diapers, which reach 1,500 families, are collected through community diaper drives. Sarah says: "I would love to see diaper drives become as common as food, clothing and toy drives. If all the moms with resources knew how much other moms struggle, our diaper bank would be full of diapers all the time." She also wants to get the word out that moms can donate the open packs of diapers that are leftover when children outgrow diapers.

Before the Bay Area Diaper Bank was established, some social workers—who make very little—were using their own money to buy diapers and couldn't afford enough for all the families they serve. Now, these caseworkers not only have far more diapers to hand out, they're able to reach 'hidden' families in need who weren't seeking help in the community but are now coming forward to get diapers.

Sarah is thankful the Every Little Bottom Program will help her meet the need for diapers in her community. And, she's thrilled that the program will inform communities everywhere about diaper need.

"To see moms so grateful about something as simple as diapers is heartbreaking," says Sarah. "These moms should be able to have diapers and not be desperate for them. Diapers make such a difference in their lives. Moms don't have to sacrifice their babies' hygiene by keeping them in dirty diapers. Even moms in domestic violence shelters, who often have fled their homes with nothing but the clothes on their back, can feel like they're providing for their children and being good moms—all because of diapers."