Do the Right Thing, a non-profit in Auburn, Washington, recently completed its annual March of Diapers drive, collecting and distributing 347,281 diapers and nearly 65,000 wipes to community organizations, including Care Net of Puget Sound.

Do the Right Thing is helping to meet the needs of at-risk families by collaborating with public and private organizations to supply sorely needed necessities and raise awareness and support for babies through diaper and wipes donations.

The March of Diapers drive started over nine years ago when Cheryl Hurst visited a domestic violence shelter and was appalled to see only one box of diapers at the facility.

“I had this indescribable feeling that something needed to be done to fix this problem,” she said.

Hurst subsequently did something significant and founded Do the Right Thing. Since 2014, the annual March of Diapers drive has provided over 1.3 million diapers to community organizations. Do the Right Thing organizes fundraisers and other community-building activities that promote the health and welfare of local families.

In a recent interview with Seattle Now regarding March of Diapers, Hurst said “the level of need is about as large as it could possibly be right now.”

Do the Right Thing estimates that disposable diapers can cost families up to $125 per baby each month. Hurst talked about the struggles faced by parents when purchasing diapers, particularly as the prices of food and other household goods continue to rise: “They've told me this story with tears in their eyes, saying, ‘I had to determine between buying diapers for my child, or putting gas in my car to go to work.’”

Across the nation, pregnancy resource centers and other community organizations often focus on helping families in this manner because government assistance safety net programs do not pay for diapers and wipes. During its annual March of Diapers initiative, Do the Right Thing collects these products from local businesses and the public.

In 2023, diapers were distributed to organizations such as food banks, shelters, refugee centers, and pregnancy resource centers. Care Net of Puget Sound, which is comprised of six pregnancy resource centers in the greater Auburn area, received 18,100 diapers and 7,092 wipes this year from Do the Right Thing.

Care Net of Puget Sound “offers hope by providing compassionate practical care, accurate information, Biblical Truth, and life-affirming resources for pregnancy, sexual health & integrity, and abortion recovery.”

“[Diapers and wipes] are a badly needed resource for our clients, who often come in and really don’t have anything,” Michael Sandberg, the Pierce County church relations director Care Net of Puget Sound, told the Federal Way Mirror.

In 2023, more than 70 partners across the region helped collect donations and raise funds for March of Diapers. Hurst is thankful for the generosity exhibited in her community and the chance to bless young parents.

“It's a lot of boxes and a lot of joy, and some of the [nonprofit representatives] actually cried when we first started coming." Hurst said on Seattle Now. “There’s really something to the fact that we’re helping the most vulnerable people out there.”