Detroit Area Diaper Bank: 300,000 diapers and counting

Canton Library Director Eva Davis

What kind of non-profit inspires a woman to sit in a cold truck for two days to reach an important collection goal?

That would be the Detroit Area Diaper Bank, whose November "Stuff the Truck" drive November  at Canton Public Library collected more than 26,000 packages of diapers for needy families. Library director Eva Davis pledged to sit in the truck, which was donated by Fat Chef in a Little Coat catering, November 17 and 18, while donors filled it with full and partial packages of diapers for ages newborn through adult.

"Pretty much the entire time, the library director Eva and I were out there," Levine said. "Of course, it was the coldest day of the week."

Davis even woke up at the library on her birthday, which was celebrated with a little cake -- and a lot of diapers. "We feel very fortunate that Canton Public Library got engaged," Levine said. "They're just a great group of ladies."

Marybeth Levine with young volunteer, Becca Garvey

The two-day collection shows how far Detroit Area Diaper Bank has come since Levine started it in April of 2009. "When I first started, it took me months to hit the 20,000 mark." This year, the award-winning non-profit is on track to distribute 300,000 to partners who put them in the hands of needy families.

The need, of course, never stops. A "healthy change" for babies can mean going through 7-10 diapers per day; a month's worth of diapers can cost as much as $100. And food stamps won't cover them.

Levine continues to raise funds, and she regularly picks up diapers at collection sites around southeast Michigan. The non-profit has received an award from the Art Van Charity Challenge and a Pepsi Refresh Program grant. In addition, Levine was recently selected as a Neighborhood Hero by Bank of America, which netted DADB $5,000.

Diapers are distributed through about 40 partner agencies in southeast Michigan. The majority are in Wayne and Oakland Counties, but DADB is expanding. Levine recently met with the Macomb County Great Start program, which has identified diapers as a significant area of need for their clients.

"We've gained so much momentum this fall," Levine said, "I can't wait to see what happens next."

You can help Detroit Area Diaper Bank. Visit their web site for details: detroitareadiaperbank.org