ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times
With Halloween now done and Thanksgiving about a week and a half away, the season of giving is in full swing.
Officials with Liberal’s Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center are asking those in the giving spirit to also thinking about families with infant children this Christmas.
The center is hosting a diaper drive to help mothers in need of diapers. Grace Place Client Services Director Letty Hernandez said this is the first drive of its kind at the center, and volunteer Maria Froese came up with the idea of creating an online registry with Walmart to help donors give to the cause.
“It’s posted on our Web site and our Facebook page,” Hernandez said. “For anyone who would love to donate to Grace Place, our main need right now is diapers. They can go on to our Web site, which is www.graceplacepcc.com, or they can go to our Facebook page, Grace Place Pregnancy Care Center.”
Hernandez said the link to the registry can be found both on the Web site and Facebook page, and there, donors can find the sizes needed for mothers.
“They purchase them, and it’ll be set up where it’s automatically delivered to us,” she said.
Hernandez said the need for diapers at Grace Place is large.
“We have approximately 50 visits per week, and those are ongoing families that are constantly coming in,” she said. “They stay with us until their baby is 2 years of age. The diapers are very important to our mission here.”
Hernandez said there is no deadline to purchase diapers, nor is there a limit to how many diapers can be purchased.
“The registry does have a limit, but we will refresh that once we get the diapers purchased off that registry,” she said. “Then we’ll start another one, and we may implement new baby items, new baby clothes, baby strollers. We may implement those things in the future, but for now, we’re starting out with diapers.”
Hernandez said diapers can be donated through traditional means as well such as shopping in stores.
“They can do it on their own,” she said. “We just thought this way would be easier. They can do it from the comfort of their home.”
While diapers are the primary need at this time at Grace Place, Hernandez said other items are in need and welcome as well.
“We are in need of any used baby items like cribs, strollers, toys, teddy bears, baby clothes,” she said. “If they have formula that has not been opened that has not expired, they may donate formula.”
Hernandez said she hopes to make a big impact with the diaper drive.
“It’s sad when moms come and we have to tell we’re out of diapers or we’re out of wipes,” she said. “The mothers, the families would appreciate it so much. They look forward to coming here and learning and shopping after they learn.”
Hernandez said those wanting more information about the diaper drive can contact Grace Place in a few ways.
“They may call us at our phone number, 620-655-8050, or they can stop by here at 311 N. Grant,” she said. “They may even message us on Facebook if they want.”
The flyer for the diaper drive went up on the Grace Place Facebook page in late October, and soon after that, Hernandez said the center was already receiving many donations.
“It’s like a blessing being dropped off here,” she said. “From the very first day we announced it, we had about 10 deliveries. It’s working.”
