In the first half of 2025, PREPARES of WW distributed over 10,000 packs of diapers. The heart of our work is accompaniment, and we know that a warm smile while handing a worried mom a package of diapers is an excellent start to a relationship. A fresh, clean diaper is a matter of health and safety, and we like to see it as a way to honor the human dignity of our families. No one should make a choice between diapers or other necessities, yet close to half of families in Washington have to stretch their budgets to buy diapers.
From 2023-2025, PREPARES ministries across the state benefited from a grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce, allowing us to spend about $3500 a month on diapers to supplement generous donors in parishes and provide peace of mind, and a sense of love and care, to families throughout the Archdiocese of Seattle.
However, these grant funds expired in July and there has been a great deal of uncertainty around state budget cuts and the continuation of the program. We are able to re-apply, but the earliest we expect to receive support is next year. We are turning to our PREPARES community to ask for help and we need your support to continue to provide this needed resource to the families that have come to rely on our ministries.
