When this picture was shared on our Facebook page it sparked a conversation and some questions:

Why open the diaper packages that are donated?
Why bundles of 12?
What do we wrap them with?
Who does all this work?

It started with the Huggies Every Little Bottom study (if you haven’t read it, take the time to at least skim it; it’s very eye opening). The study highlights the fact that not having enough diapers for their child is very distressing to a mother and just 11 extra diapers in a week helps her feel like she had ‘enough’.

Just 11 diapers relieves the feelings of burden and anxiety felt by mothers struggling with the ability to purchase diapers for their child. Nestlings made the decision to provide diapers in bundles of 12 to the agencies we support so they can easily provide that hope and encouragement to mothers through their programs.

The diaper bundles of 12 are convenient too. The programs with home visiting nurses can keep a few bundles in their car so they can provide the emergency relief a mother might need.

The twelve packs in clear packaging, labeled with size, are perfect for our Nurses, Socialworkers and Dietician to give to our clients on home visits. The InterCare Maternal Infant Health Program is a case management service created to reduce infant mortality. Many of our clients are high risk because of lacking basic needs. The dozen diapers is enough to hold them over while they follow up on other community referrals we make – Kathleen Lord, Maternal & Infant Health program

The bundles are also convenient for ministries our diapers support like the Holland Rescue Mission and church-based Care Closets where space to store bulky packs of diapers is not readily available.

We appreciate the work done by Nestlings Diaper Bank in placing the diapers into bundles of 12 diapers and wrapping them. By having the diapers all prepackaged and clearly marked with the sizes it makes it very convenient to store them and give them out to the families we work with. This is very handy and is not only appreciated by us working with Breakfast with Baby, but also by the families receiving the diapers. – Lori Clark, Breakfast with Baby 4th Reformed Church

Nestlings has a volunteer (sometimes two) who wraps the diapers using rolls of shrink wrap – the same large shrink wrap rolls used to wrap pallets. After diapers are bundled and wrapped a small label is put on with the size information.

Thank you for your interest in what we do and how we do it. Nestlings is a community effort. We respect your feedback and value your suggestions and questions. Contact us anytime via email at nestlings.diapers@gmail.com or interact with us and others who support our mission by commenting on our Facebook page.

Luvs diapers combined with Mperks and a P&G rebate result in yet another amazing diaper deal at Meijer this week.

Buy any 2 Luvs big pack of diapers
– $16.99 at Meijer
– Available in sizes 2-6

At checkout a P&G mail in rebate slip will print (because your purchase included $30 or more of P&G products in one transaction).

Plus if you utilize Meijer Mperks program (electronic coupons) you can ‘clip’ the Luvs coupon to get another $1 off at checkout.

Combining these offers results in the best per diaper price we have seen since tracking our diapers buys over the past year (we work hard to make the greatest impact we can with the funds that you donate to us).

Net cost per big pack is $11.49
(Two packs at $16.99, less the $1 Mperks, less the $10 rebate)

Size 2 – $0.11 per diaper
Size 5 – $0.14 per diaper
Size 6 – $0.17 per diaper

So whether you are shopping for your own childs diaper needs or making a diaper purchase to donate to Nestlings we wanted to share this deal so you could maximize your dollars – for less than $25 you have bought a lot of diapers! Share this post with a friend or two, collect the diapers you purchase in one location, and you have a successful diaper drive! Contact us and we will come pick them up.

For instore and online diaper deals matched up each week check out Sarah’s Deals.

Can you imagine having to choose between feeding your child and changing her diaper?

1 in 3 families in the United States struggle to buy diapers

This is just one of the startling statistics highlighted in Huggies Every Little Bottom study from June 2010.

Nestlings and The National Diaper Bank Network are preparing for the first-ever Diaper Need Awareness Week, September 10-17, 2012 so that more people can be aware of the impact diaper need has on a family and find out what a difference a diaper makes in the life of a child. Across the country, there will be diaper-need focused events including local area diaper drives, discussion panels on why diapers matter, and fundraising events.

Want to help provide clean diapers to more families throughout Ottawa County?

Contact us to have your school, daycare, business, or church be part of the new national event by holding a diaper drive, making a donation, or sponsoring another event during Diaper Need Awareness Week September 10-17, 2012. Some individuals have already begun planning a diaper drive – collecting diapers among their own family and friends to donate to Nestlings.

We are excited for this opportunity to continue working within our community so that more babies can stay dry and healthy because of a supply of clean diapers.

Watch our website and our Facebook page for more news and updates on Diaper Need Awareness Week and the events as they develop.

July was ‘garage sale time’ for Nestlings.

A special thank you to the people who donated clothing, household items, and baked goods; and especially the numerous people who came out in the midst of the heat wave to shop and make the sale a success.

The most popular item from the garage sale?

Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Bars
(You will see them pictured on our Recipes Pinterest board too)

Supporters who shopped our garage sale on Friday told others who stopped by on Saturday and said ‘I heard about these bars!’. We even received comments on our Facebook page days later about these amazing bars. The hot weather made them especially gooey and delicious.

The Peanut Butter Cup S’mores Bars were baked, wrapped, and donated by a neighbor who kindly shared her recipe (originally from The Sweet Life):

Yield: 16 large/20 small squares

Ingredients
■1/2 cup butter, softened
■1/2 cup packed brown sugar
■1/4 cup sugar
■1 egg
■1 teaspoon vanilla
■1 1/4 cups flour
■1 teaspoon baking powder
■1/4 teaspoon salt
■1 cup graham cracker crumbs
■16 peanut butter cups, regular size
■1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff*

*Fluff is pretty impossible to measure, so this doesn’t have to be an exact amount, just kind of eyeball it. As long as you have enough to cover the PB cups, you’re good to go.

Directions
1.Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 baking dishing with parchment paper; coat lightly with cooking spray.
2.In a large bowl of the bowl of stand mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Scrape down the sides. With the mixer on low, stir in the flour, baking powder, salt, and graham cracker crumbs until mixed.
3.Spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lightly press the peanut butter cups into the dough, then spread marshmallow fluff on top. Press the remaining dough on a non-stick surface into the shape of an 8×8 square. Place the square on top of the fluff and press down lightly.
4.Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Allow to cool for at least two hours* to give the bars a chance to set, then remove from the pan and cut into squares with a large, sharp knife.

Thanks again to everyone who made our first fundraiser garage sale a success – the funds raised will help us continue providing clean, dry diapers to children in need throughout Ottawa County.

Do you remember Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss? The popular read aloud book offers a variety of locations to eat the green cuisine. Similarly summer in West Michigan offers numerous opportunities for reading with your family – just about anywhere!

In a car? On a boat? Aboard a train?
Lounging in a lawn chair?
On a blanket under the shade tree in your front yard?
Around a campfire?
(photo credit: Molly from MollyMadonna.com)

Reading to children early and often influences their development and sets the foundation for learning in the years ahead. It’s never too early to read aloud. And never too late to read aloud. (Check out the books suggested in this blog post Summer Reads from Jane, a West Michigan blogger who helps you be your child’s first teacher with creative, intentional parenting)

In the Holland/Zeeland and lakeshore area we have many free resources that make it easy to get an assortment of books to take along with you wherever you go this summer. Families living within the Zeeland Public School district can take advantage of the Zee Bus free mobile literacy program.

Throughout Ottawa County you will find several local libraries with free resources as well as fun, rewarding summer reading programs:
Allendale – Allendale Township Library
Hudsonville – Gary Byker Memorial Library
Jamestown – Patmos Library
Grand Haven – Loutit District Library
Coopersville – Coopersville Area District Library
Holland – Herrick District Library
Zeeland – Howard Miller Library

A map of libraries in Ottawa County is helpful for finding the library closest to you.

Is the Howard Miller Library in Zeeland your home library? Are you stopping in with one of the nearly 1,400 children registered for their free summer reading program? On your next visit consider taking a package (or two or three) of diapers with you. As one of our diaper donation drop off locations the Howard Miller Library is a convenient place to donate diapers to Nestlings. By donating a box or two of diapers you will be giving other moms the opportunity to bring their babies to the library, starting them on the road to literacy and a love of reading.

Be part of the movement to help moms and babies in need – get out and read, and donate diapers.

What do you love about your home library? Where do you like to get out and read? Post your comments here or on our Facebook page – we look forward to hearing how you make reading fun!