Los Angeles Baby Cooperative

Our Story—

When COVID-19 hit in early 2020, mothers at Urban Partners Los Angeles’ (UPLA) food bank in Koreatown discovered that access to diapers was quickly becoming a concern. Access to an adequate supply of diapers is vital to our children’s health and wellbeing. Seeing our incomes diminish as the supply of diapers in stores dwindled, we created an alliance of families and neighbors to do something about it!

LA Baby Cooperative/Cooperativa para Bebés de LA is an all-volunteer community response to the urgent need for diapers and infant supplies. Since March 2020, we have procured over 65,000 diapers for the community. But OUR SUPPLIES HAVE RUN LOW!

We now struggle (together at least!) each week to gather donations of diapers and wipes. We are urgently asking for donations toward a bulk diaper and wipes purchase to get our little ones through the next few months.

• We distribute over 4,000 diapers to each Saturday morning. Approximately 80 families collect bundles of diapers and wipes from a beautiful community garden in Koreatown.

   

• The retail cost of the supplies we distribute is approximately $1500 per week. The breakdown: each diaper costs between 13- 23 cents (most babies need 5-10 per day) and wipes cost about 2 cents each (babies may need 32 per day).

   

• Half of our organizing team use the diaper bank themselves. None of us are paid, and every dollar goes to diapering supplies for local babies.

   

• Like many diaper banks, our most requested diaper sizes are 4-6 since babies stay in these sizes for much longer. Since we still get a lot of size 1 and 2 diapers donated, we turned this “surplus” into a new initiative for pregnant and new parents. As supplies allow, we deliver a larger bundle of newborn sizes just before the baby is due or right after the birth; we call these deliveries the “Mother Load.”

   

• We are about families and neighbors coming together to help each other out. In addition to diapering supplies, we coordinate an infant and child “mutual aid” effort– connecting families with extra new and lightly used items (e.g., clothing, bedding, strollers, car seats, toys etc.,) with those in need of them.

*  No government programs support families with the high cost of diapers – these supplies are not covered by WIC or SNAP. Diapering poses a financial hardship for 1/3 of American families, and more of course during times of economic crisis. 

*  Diaper supplies cost approximately $1200 annually per child (approx $80 a month for diapers alone). With few “big box” stores in the Koreatown area, and many of our families without transportation, the cost is greater. 

*  Our undocumented member neighbors are fearful of accessing many services, including local diaper programs. We do not work with law enforcement agents or agencies. As a community cooperative, we’re about building trusting relationships within the community and real empowerment.

Additional Reading:

https://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/diaper-need/

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/30/parenting/coronavirus-baby-formula-shortages-wipes-diapers.html

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/29/parenting/diaper-banks-formula-wipes-coronavirus.htm

Donate to our Gofundme campaign

We are currently fundraising to put in a bulk order of diapers from a local biodegradable diaper company who are offering us a very generous price! Every dollar donated goes directly to diapers that our babies need.  You can donate here.

Provide something on our “Wish List” 

We gratefully accept in-kind donations of diapering supplies (diapers and wipes) to, please have items shipped to the following address or contact us to arrange drop off/collection:

First Unitarian Church
2936 W. 8th Street
Los Angeles, CA 90005

*If you are sending something feel free to drop us an email at info@lababycooperative.org letting us know what’s coming, we love to hear from you!

Our current need:

•     Wipes—preferably fragrance free, sensitive kinds in packs of approximately 70- 100 wipes
•     Diapers—Sizes 3 through 6

*Here’s a breakdown of what we need each week                                                                                       

•     Other Infant Essentials & items 0-5 years old

We also coordinate direct donations of new and gently used items (e.g., bassinets, clothing, strollers, baths, toys, books) to families who are part of LA Cooperativa de Bebe. Please email us at info@lababycooperative.com if you would like to donate.

We’d love to connect with you! Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering, have particular skills or resources you can offer or want to learn more about what we do. 

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