This week I have the honor of introducing you to a give-back program very near and dear to our hearts. The Baby Do Better Program! Driven by a desire to help solve the problem of diaper need, we created this program to help families directly.
Some of you might be familiar with our ‘Baby Do Good’ program. Baby Do Good was put into place when Lil Helper as a company first began back in late 2011. The program saw us donating one brand new Lil Helper diaper for every 3 diapers sold.
We are proud to say that under Baby Do Good, Lil Helper donated several thousand brand new diapers over the 7.5 years that the program was in place. This is a number that we are very proud of!
While Baby Do Good saw us giving back in rewarding numbers, as a company we struggled with the fact that we very rarely received feedback from the individuals who actually received the donated diapers. This is why we ultimately decided to revise our give-back program to something that felt more personal and community driven.
And thus, Baby Do BETTER was born!
First of all, let’s talk about WHY giving back is so important to us:
Did you know that 1 in 3 American families, and 1 in 5 Canadian families compromise on meeting their family’s basic health, food, and shelter needs in order to afford diapers for their youngest children? These statistics absolutely do not sit well with Lil Helper and we have made it our goal to help fight Diaper Need one family at a time.
Baby Do Better is similar to its predecessor, Baby Do Good, in that its focus is on helping to reduce Diaper Need amongst our society’s most vulnerable families. However, rather than basing the program on a 3:1 model of giving, we will now offer a significant subsidy program available to families via a simple, and respectful application process. If selected, applicants will receive all the brand new diapers they need to begin cloth diapering at a significantly reduced price.
Experiencing Diaper Need? Here’s How to Apply
The application process involves two easy steps:
First, interested families will be asked to fill out a simple, online application form.
From there, applicants will undergo a brief phone interview with a friendly member of the Lil Helper team.
Hear from our first family in the Baby Do Better Program
Earlier this year, we shipped diapers to our very first Baby Do Better Subsidy Program Applicant, and she was kind enough to answer a few questions about her experience.
How did you find out about Lil Helper/Baby Do Better program?
One of my best friends had been using Lil Helper diapers since her son was born, and she knew how much I loved the idea of cloth diapering but couldn't afford the start up costs. She tagged me in a post on the Lil Helper Facebook group where she heard about it.
How old are your children?
My oldest daughter is 19 months old, my youngest is just under 3 months. Our house feels like a zoo some days.
Can you give us a little background about yourself/family?
We are, for the most part, a single family income. My husband is a factory worker, while I run a little teething bead business on the side. It doesn't bring in much. I struggle heavily with bipolar disorder, and sadly haven't had very good luck holding down jobs because of it.
What made you want to try cloth diapers in the first place?
I’m very passionate about the environment and hope to leave a clean and healthy earth for my children to raise their children on. Disposable diapers make up a fairly large portion of our landfills. Why create waste when there's an environmentally friendly alternative?
What was the Baby Do Better application and selection process like?
The application was quite simple. As for the process, we heard back from Paige within a few days to set up a phone interview. She's honestly so amazing and super friendly! We were then told that we had been selected as the company's first "baby do better guinea pigs".
How has the Baby Do Better Program impacted your life?
Well, we're officially in cloth full time now with both kiddos! Our oldest daughter gets diaper rash less often, and we've become very involved with the Lil Helper online community, which is basically one big cloth diaper family! We truly wouldn't have been able to do it without the subsidized program.
Who would you recommend this program to?
I would strongly recommend this program to families who are interested in cloth diapering, but need a little bit of help with that initial startup. These diapers are the easiest, softest, and most comfortable cloth diapers around. We really couldn't be happier with the whole experience.
Are you, or someone you know, interested in cloth diapering, but struggling with the initial investment? Do you think the Baby Do Better Program could make a huge difference to your family?
