The brainchild of members of the Domestic Violence Task Force of the city of Glendale, CA, the 2010Glendale Diaper Drive took place from December 1 through December 14. Drop bins were stationed at locations all around the city. The drive was supported by the fire department, the police department, the Rotary Club, and several local agencies and elected officials. HAMO supported the drive by promoting the Amazon wishlist for PATH/Achieve Glendale, an emergency family homeless shelter that is one of our main partners here in the Los Angeles area, and an anchor in this month’s drive.
I witnessed the way the community came together at the launch event, where I introduced HAMO and what we do, and at Homeless Connect Day at the city’s Winter Shelter, where everyone involved in the drive was invited to bring their diaper haul and pose for photos. It was thrilling to see that local television station KABC sent a news producer and interviewed Natalie Profant Komuro, director of PATH/Achieve Glendale, She must have pimped us up really well, because the news story that ran mentioned us by name, showed our sign from the photo shoot, and a shot of me stacking diapers in the pile.
I find it nearly impossible that my collaboration with HAMO could have led to this. In truth, 22,000 diapers won’t even last very long, but the fact that such an amount was collected over only two weeks is a testament to human kindness. Spreading that kindness through the internet is one of the greatest ways we can use this technology. I see it every time I come to my computer – one or many of my blogging or tweeting friends is promoting a worthy cause at any given time. To the people who have supported me (including Julia Frey, who helped count 16,000 of these specific diapers!) in these efforts, I thank you. Somewhere, without knowing it, many mothers and fathers are thanking you, too.