Cloth for a Cause
Did you know? One in three families in the US and Canada have to choose between buying disposable diapers and buying food or paying rent?
When families choose to save money by cloth diapering, the start-up costs can be intimidating. For a family that's struggling financially, the start-up costs for cloth diapers can be more than intimidating - they can be downright insurmountable.
That's where Cloth for a Cause comes into play. Cloth for a Cause is a brand new Canadian charity. We've been operating since 2011 with a simple mission: to help those 33% get their babies in diapers.
In the year and a half that they've been open, Cloth for a Cause has expanded from one little chapter in Prince George to fourteen stretching across Canada.And they've helped nearly 150 families get their babies in cloth!
Choose Your Charity Profile |
Cloth for a Cause
If you live in Canada and you would like to donate cloth diapers to a worthwhile cause, take note of Cloth for a Cause! As part of our Choose Your Charity event, which will run in September 2013, we're featuring several hard-working cloth diaper charities that collect new and used diapers (even those needing repairs!) to help other families who otherwise couldn't afford the start-up costs for cloth diapers.
Choose Your Charity Page Sponsors
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What is your mission?
We're a group of Canadian moms striving to provide quality, sustainable
cloth diapers to interested low income/struggling families that cannot
afford the initial start up costs associated with cloth diapering.
We
are a cloth lending service, so we lend the families the diapers in the
hopes that they will return them to us in good condition when they no
longer need them so we can continue to help other families.
Which communities do you serve?
Our main chapter operated out of Prince George. We also have a Vancouver
Island Branch, a Fraser Valley, and Bulkely Valley area branch all
running out of British Columbia. Our Alberta branches operate from
Medicine Hat, and Grande Prairie. Ontario locations are Barrie and our
Southern Ontario branch.
Cloth for a Cause is now a legal charity. Not only does that mean that their ability to help struggling families has grown, it also means that their need for assistance has grown!
How many families have you served?
The Prince George chapter has served 15 families in Canada and the USA as of August 2012.
How do your clients qualify?
I like to ask them a series of questions regarding their financial situation and why they would like to use our services. Often, I don't need to ask, and a parent will send me a long email explaining their situation. We try to remain as non-invasive as possible, but we do need to ensure that the diapers are getting to the people who need them the most.
What kind of support do you provide them?
In addition to lending the diapers, we provide information on how to use them. We can help a parent troubleshoot any issues in their wash routine, and tailor a package to their families individual needs.
How can others help your cause?
The biggest help is in spreading the word about our organization. If you know a family who would benefit from our organizations help, let them know about us. Donations are always needed. Money is used in shipping the diapers out, or paying for materials used to repair diapers and donations of cloth diapers keep us going. If you're interested in starting a chapter in your area, you can contact
Samantha Pearl Kealing at cloth4acause@hotmail.ca
We are always collecting donations of:
- Cloth diapers and related accessories, even those in need of some repairs
- Elastic and snaps to repair diapers
- Your time and talents: if you can sew or do snap conversions, we have many diapers in need of repair
- Cash donations: to help us with shipping and repair costs
You can help by donating to Cloth for a Cause through our PayPal account or by sending a cloth diaper donation to one of our chapters. (If you live in Canada and are making a donation of $20 or greater, we can issue a tax receipt!) If you're near one of our local chapters, you can donate material goods and cash directly to the chapter. If you're not and you'd like to donate some diapers, our Nova Scotia chapter has a large need for services!
We are also looking for volunteers to host drop-off locations: we simply do not have the resources to pick up or pay for shipping for everyone that contacts us to donate cloth diapers.
Why did you get started?
My interest in cloth diapers began when I became pregnant with my son, Luca. Looking at the prices of cloth, I knew that the start up cost was going to prevent me from going this route- I couldn't even afford toilet paper at the time!
When I ran out of the diapers received from our baby shower, I were trying to tie tea towels around him. I began making my own diapers on a sewing machine I was given, and held a few workshops in hopes of empowering moms to make their own diapers. I realized that most low income moms simply don't have access to a sewing machine. When I was more stable financially, I began buying and repairing cheap pocket diapers and repairing and giving them away.
When I stood back and saw the need for a recycling program for well used cloth diapers, and a need for cloth diapers in the community, it didn't take long for me to realise that this was something I could do. I created an email and the Facebook page, and was shocked at how many people came on board and how quickly it grew!
Want to get in touch?
If you'd like to donate cloth diapers, or would like to get in contact with Pearl and her team of volunteers at Cloth for a Cause, here's some contact information:
Prince George
Samantha "Pearl" Kealing
https://www.facebook.com/clothforacause
cloth4acause@hotmail.ca
250 649-8596
Vancouver Island
Janaya Honka
Aimee Susanna Maguire
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cloth-for-a-cause-Vancouver-Island/315060698516089
clothforacause.vi@gmail.com
Bukley Valley [Smithers area]
Cara McCormack
https://www.facebook.com/Cloth4ACauseBulkleyValleyArea
cara_det@hotmail.com
Fraser Valley, BC
Jenna Gardner
http://www.facebook.com/cloth4acause
clothforacause.fv@gmail.com
Medicine Hat, AB
Helene Gifford
https://www.facebook.com/MedicineHatClothForACause
mhc4ac@gmail.com or helnick@TELUS.NET
paypal : mhc4ac@gmail.com
Southern Ontario
Amy Benson & Heidi Platt
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cloth-for-a-Cause-Southern-Ontario/264025937006557
cloth4acause.on@gmail.com
Grande Prairie
Sandy Bailey
http://www.facebook.com/gpcfac
gpclothforacause@hotmail.ca
Pearl, your work is truly an inspiration to others! Thank-you so much for your tireless efforts to help others realize the benefits of cloth diapering, and for taking the time to help us learn more about your wonderful Canadian cloth diaper charity!
To find out how you can be involved in our Choose Your Charity Contest, please contact us with a quick note!
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