Hand in helping hand: Groups partner with Tremonton Food Pantry in diaper drive - The Herald Journal

Hand in helping hand: Groups partner with Tremonton Food Pantry in diaper drive - The Herald Journal

In her 13 years working at the Tremonton Food Pantry, Cathy Newman has seen first-hand that struggling families need help with more than just food.

Providing nourishment to those in need remains the primary mission of the pantry, and with donations on the decline, Newman said it’s more important than ever for people to donate as much food as they can, as often as they can. But other items are also in high demand, the least of not which is diapers, a major expense for people with young children.

Last Tuesday, April 9, the food pantry teamed up with the Little Lambs Foundation for Kids, a Logan-based nonprofit focused on helping children in the foster care system, to collect and distribute diapers to people in Tremonton and surrounding communities. Also on hand were representatives from the Family Support Center, which provides a variety of free services to families and children through locations in Brigham City and Garland.

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While the wet spring weather forced the event from the parking lot to inside the pantry, it didn’t dampen the spirits of those who came to donate and participate in raising awareness for a big need in the community.

“We all have the same goals of helping people in their time of need, so we thought we could pool our efforts and our resources, and raise awareness to let people know that help is out there,” Newman said.

The Little Lambs Foundation was started in 2014 with a focus on helping children who are transitioning into foster care. It started out providing hygiene kits, toys, blankets and other items for kids who have to leave their personal belongings behind when they are placed in new homes.

Last year, Little Lambs expanded its mission by opening a diaper bank in Cache Valley after receiving numerous requests, and Executive Director Ted Chalfant said the need for such a service became immediately apparent.

“Last year, we provided 82,000 diapers to families in need of a little help,” Chalfant said. “This year, we’ve already given out 85,000.”

Chalfant and other volunteer staff members came over from Logan with a trailer full of diapers, as well as pre-assembled hygiene kit bags full of toothpaste, shampoo and other toiletries.

“It’s been a great blessing, and a great opportunity to help the public out,” he said. “It’s been great working with the food pantry as well.”

Chalfant encourages anyone interested in learning more about Little Lambs, whether they are in need of assistance, looking to volunteer, or both, to visit the organization’s website, www.littlelambsofutah.org.

Katy Bonds, executive director of the Family Support Center in Brigham City, said her organization was on hand to let people know about the free services it provides, such as day care, counseling for those suffering from domestic abuse, and other services that are sometimes underutilized despite a growing need for them.

“We just need to get the word out,” Bonds said. “We’re a good, safe place to take kids. We’re trying to stay preventive when it comes to abuse or neglect situations.”

Last week’s event was organized to coincide with National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which takes place every April. Another diaper drive is scheduled for Friday, April 26 in Brigham City at the Methodist Church, 235 E. 850 South.

Newman said it just makes sense for organizations with common goals to work together to raise awareness about services for which the need is ever-increasing.

“Everybody needs a little help sometimes,” she said. “We want people to know that it’s okay to ask for help. That’s why we’re here.”