Central Coast nonprofit LEAP (Learn, Engage, Advocate, Partner) collaborated with local businesses and residents in the Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Lompoc areas to raise an astounding 11,331 diapers during its annual Diaper Drive.
“We were blown away by the community’s response to the diaper drives,” said Darcy Brakeman, development assistant at LEAP (formerly Isla Vista Youth Projects). “We set an ambitious goal of raising 10,000 diapers during National Diaper Need Awareness Week and surpassed that by over 1,000 diapers.”
The Diaper Drive coincides with National Diaper Need Awareness Week, which occurs September 23-29 and calls attention to the persistent need for diapers in local communities. As Santa Barbara County’s only registered Diaper Bank, LEAP distributes more than 6,000 diapers monthly to families in need. Additionally, LEAP’s website states that disposable diapers are sometimes priced at $100 per child monthly, emphasizing the role of donations to support families with young children.
“We distribute diapers to families from all over Santa Barbara County,” said Brakeman. “Most families come from Goleta and Santa Barbara to receive diapers, but we also have families come in from Lompoc, Santa Maria, Carpinteria, and neighboring cities.”
LEAP’s Diaper Drive was powered by local partners who provided collection points for county residents in addition to generous donations. Community sponsors include Congregation B’nai B’rith, Trinity Church of the Nazarene in Lompoc, Old Town Coffee, Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, Moms Demand Action S.B., and RG Photography.
“This year’s collection far surpassed previous years,” said Brakeman. “[Last year,] we only had one partner gathering for us, Old Town Coffee, Goleta, and I would estimate they gathered 2,000 diapers. Having so much community support in Santa Barbara, Goleta, and Lompoc really made a difference this year.”
To schedule an appointment for diaper pickup, families can contact Ana Maya at the Family Resource Center. More information is available on LEAP’s website.
