An assigned project by students from Texas Woman’s University’s Social Work Practice III Lab has evolved into a community diaper drive in collaboration with the TWU Department of Family Services.
The students were inspired by kinship families, where children are cared for by relatives or close family friends, rather than their biological parents. This may include extended family or even close family friends who are not legally related to the child. Kinship care is often a preferred option in child welfare because it provides a familiar and stable environment for children while preserving connections to their family and culture.
“[Kinship families often] struggle with the financial burden of affording diapers,” said social work student Lizbeth Maldonado-Bravo. “We thought of giving them assistance and aid so [these families] could have some alleviation of stress.”
“After the organization created a GoFundMe and applied for a tax exemption, students have focused on promotion through flyers posted across campus, encouraging students to donate to their cause, and there has since been an increase in diaper donations with a variety of sizes and quality.
Together, Social Work Practice III Lab students Lawrann Smith, Edith Cruz, Timarie Cammon, Crecia Corralez Munoz, Diona Evers, Melanie Hernandez, Lizeth Maldonado Bravo, and Christine Atkins arranged and held the drive on April 29, promoting the lasting impact of social work and community outreach.
“We want to influence other people to do the same [and to] do the task with sincerity and passion behind it because that weight is meaningful”, said Maldonado-Bravo. “So that these [underserved and marginalized] populations can get all the assistance they need.”
For more information, please contact co2025sowk@gmail.com.
Bella Castillo can be reached via email at Isabella Castillo
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