The numbers are in — and they’re nothing short of miraculous.
This year, the World’s Largest Diaper Drive, a program created and managed by Bottoms Up Diaper Bank in partnership with hundreds of churches, schools, civic organizations and generous individuals across Ohio, collected 1,236,584 diapers for families in need.
As impressive as the results of this year’s drive are, Bottoms Up president Jo Welsh kept it all in perspective.
“That’s not just a new record. It’s a massive outpouring of compassion, measured in tens of thousands of dry bottoms of babies and the relieved sighs of struggling parents,” she said.
“At Bottoms Up,” Welsh said, “we think that no baby should lie in pain and no mother should cry in shame. Thanks to the many churches, schools, civic organizations and individuals, this diaper drive turned those words into action over 1.2 million times.”
Diaper need is more than dollars and cents. It’s about babies who go too long in the same diaper, developing painful rashes and infections that linger. It’s about moms who scrape together coins just to buy a few diapers to get by.
It’s about dignity.
Many daycares require parents to provide a day’s worth of diapers before a child can be dropped off. That means if you don’t have diapers, you can’t work. If you can’t work, you can’t afford diapers. It’s a vicious, heartbreaking cycle.
The 1,236,584 diapers collected this year are more than just a commodity. They represent broken barriers and hope delivered. They offer some breathing room for a mother who has been in survival mode for far too long.
These diapers didn’t appear by magic. They came from caring individuals and organizations — from a high school class that organized a diaper challenge, from a parish that filled its pews with packs of Pampers, from businesses that turned lobbies into donation hubs, and from families that bought one extra box each time they went to the store.
There were kids who donated their allowance, seniors who collected diapers instead of birthday gifts, clergy who preached not just about charity but about action, and volunteers who spent hours counting, sorting and boxing 1,236,584 diapers.
Each act of kindness became a thread in the fabric of something extraordinary.
From small rural churches to bustling suburban schools, from city offices to neighborhood food pantries, the movement reached the hearts of many. It’s a testament to what happens when people of faith, good will and heart unite for a cause that touches the most vulnerable among us: our babies.
This drive was made possible by everyday heroes — people who chose to give when it mattered most. They didn’t just donate diapers. They delivered hope. They gave families something they will never forget: the knowledge that someone cared enough to help.
Welsh is clear-headed about what lies ahead.
“While we celebrate this record-breaking success, we also remember this: The need doesn’t stop when the World’s Largest Diaper Drive ends,” she explained.
“Bottoms Up Diaper Bank will continue distributing diapers to families all year long. Diapers will go to food pantries, childcare facilities, domestic abuse shelters, pregnancy centers and directly into the hands of those who need them. Every week, more families reach out. And thanks to this amazing display of generosity, we’ll be there to say yes.
“I think we didn’t just make history. I think we’ve made a difference.”
For more information or to get involved, reach out to Welsh at jo@bottomsup.life or visit www.bottomsup.life.