NORTHWEST TALLAHASSEE, FL — For Daphne Cummings, the 40-minute drive from Monticello for a simple hardware store run turned into a moment of hope for the children enrolled in her daycare, Creative Moments Learning Center, Inc.
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She had been paying out-of-pocket for formula and diapers.
"I have a lot of struggling parents — pampers, formula — it’s so high," Cummings said.
That’s where the Women Empowering Each Other (WEE) Diaper Bank is stepping in.
Founder and CEO Denise Scott-Shorter and Chief Operating Officer Stalandria McKinsey said they will soon be able to help even more people like Cummings.
The organization, founded about 11 years ago, is preparing to expand its services to help more people across its 14-county service area.
The expansion is part of a new community partnership WEE is waiting to announce.
“There may be a baby or a mom in the house or a dad in the house, but there are other kids. There may be other family members, grandparents, you know, so that means that our care will just supersede just the babies and their caretakers, but their entire family," McKinsey said.
"Expansion will allow us to bring diaper relief as well as support services into other agencies and organizations, especially with what's transpiring today. Expansion will also allow us to bring our diapers into the medical facilities, the hospitals, or allows us to have support when there is a crisis," Scott-Shorter said.
The organization is experiencing a surge in demand for its existing services. 20 to 30 Leon County clients came in for diapers within a span of four days.
"Last year, we saw three times the amount of clients that we saw. In this year alone, our clients have almost like tripled that capacity,” Scott-Shorter said.
A 2023 National Diaper Bank Network study reported nearly half of surveyed families had a diaper need, noting it costs families $80 and up for a month’s worth of diapers.
As Scott-Shorter and McKinsey work to expand their impact, they are asking the community to help them find about 5,000 square feet of space to store resources.
"Right now, our center is almost overcapacity," Scott-Shorter said. “We haven't been afforded to receive financial assistance and support, so right now we're in a building that we are privately paying out-of-pocket for ourselves, as well as a lot of the resources that we have there.”
Meanwhile, they’re remaining focused on their mission, accepting donations and providing help to anyone in need.
“It's one of those situations where we're just hoping to be the light in whatever darkness our community is currently facing right now," McKinsey said.
“It's very important. I had no idea. Monticello is so small, and I don't know of any other resources," Cummings said.
To reach out to the organization, you can call at (850)-270-3679, email them at info@weecarediaperbank.org, or visit their office at 5028 Tennessee Capitol Blvd.
***This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.***
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