Bailey Bouwman  00:00

This is show 71 to the cloth diaper podcast. Today I am joined with Katie from Jake’s diapers.

 

Bailey Bouwman  00:14

almost three years ago, I had this brilliant idea of starting a podcast, not because I wanted to necessarily edit or had any skills in podcasting, I actually don’t even listen to podcasts very much. But because I wanted an opportunity to talk directly with clinical brands, retailers and parents from around the world, and learn from those stories, but I also really wanted there to be transparency and that and for other people in this community to also learn from those stories. So here we are three years later, 72 shows later, over 35 guests who are representing cloth diaper brands or retailers from around the world, and numerous parents stories. I’m so excited to be celebrating three years in July. I wish that I told you I had a plan. But as of right now, I do not have a plan. But I’m sure that it will come together the club they were podcast continues to share stories from brands and retailers because it’s still an incredibly important thing. The cloth diaper community is growing more than ever. And it is through this work and the work of so many content creators on the internet that we can continue to be who we are. I also want to put this out here, if you haven’t already seen my posts, I am looking for regular contributors to the website. I can’t do it all. And for years, I’ve dreamed of having a contributor based website. But I always was kind of waiting for that moment that I was making enough money that I could pay someone. But that moment of making enough money isn’t coming. Not without more help and support. I thought there were podcasts as a community space where I want to share as many different reviews experiences and stories as possible. I don’t really want the quality of our internet existence to just be one perspective or just be outdated perspectives. And so I hope through bringing on contributors that we can continue to grow the space and become a leader in transparency in diversity of voices and diversity of experiences. If this is something that might interest you, please send me an email. And I would love to make you be a regular contributor. I’d love to help you grow as a content creator as a person on the internet, and to maybe find some opportunities for the Catholic community to participate in. And when it comes to advertising and sponsorships. I know that my websites, my space does have the power to earn sponsorships. But we’re so niched and I don’t have babies anymore, that sometimes I’m not the right fit for that. So maybe with contributors, we can apply for those sponsorships, and we can get those advertising dollars. And we can help you earn money and we can help the space continue to grow and be a go to reference that isn’t just one person’s opinion on the web, but a wide collective of experiences. That was a little bit of a tangent. Today’s episode is with Katie from Jake’s diaper network. I do feel this is a little bit of an awkward episode. And I’ve edited a lot of things out just because I totally was a space case on this day that I interviewed. Katie, I don’t really know why you know that sometimes, I think you get super intimidated by your guest, but your guest is just the person. And I definitely got super intimidated by Katie. And I felt like I was asking all the wrong questions. But this is a great insight and overview of what Jake says it’s going to be short and sweet to the point but I hope that you get some takeaways you learn how to reach them and you kind of understand what role they play in the community and how we can continue to support them going forward.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  03:47

Sure, I’m the program manager at Jake’s diapers. I’ve been employed by Jake’s diapers for three years volunteering for about eight. Oh, wow. So Jake’s diapers, started as a diaper bank, too. We were gonna serve 15 babies in Peru with cloth diapers. And then we were going to be done and it was called Jake’s diapers because our executive directors name was her son’s name was Jake. And she use modern cloth diapers on him. And then we just exploded from their diaper bank that has now served over. I think we’re at like 64,000 people

 

Bailey Bouwman  04:25

from 15 diapers to 64,000 diapers. And when we chatted last time you said that you just you met who’s the owner who’s the founder of Jake’s What’s her name? Stephanie Bowers, definitely Bowers on a conference.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  04:40

I met her at a baby Expo. So I was sewing and selling cloth diapers and she was across the aisle collecting diapers for babies in Peru. We met up and started talking and I started working on some projects for her as a volunteer and it just kind of took off from there.

 

Bailey Bouwman  04:58

What is your role at Jake’s diaper?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  05:01

My official title is a program manager. Um, basically what I do is I oversee our diver programs, we have a variety of different programs now, not just their cloth diaper bank, but they have a national cloth network where we work with other diaper banks in the United States to help them get cloth diapers if they maybe don’t have a person who’s familiar with cloth diapers, but still wants to offer that option to their clients. So then we can either pre packaged kits and send them right to them so they can distribute them. And they know that they’re ready and they’re good, and they don’t have to check them over figure out how to wash them. Um, or if they have someone who’s familiar with cloth, they can say, well, we have enough of this, but could you send us 100, pocket diapers or something like that if they just need to supplement their own programming. We have a global cloth network, which is any of our partners outside of the United States, a lot of it is like impatient care type facilities in poverty ridden areas, or group homes for abandoned children. That kind of,

 

Bailey Bouwman  06:12

so you have two two kind of channels for supporting diaper banks locally within the United States and then supporting diaper need on an international level. And you’re working with are usually work or you’re working with bigger organizations or directly with

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  06:27

smaller, smaller places, well, nonprofits all over the world. Sometimes bigger organizations too, will have like, we’ll fill a trailer for them and they’ll send it to all different places. Then we have an individual loan program to where if somebody is in the United States, their local diaper bank doesn’t offer cloth, or they don’t have a local diaper bank, or they don’t have the resources to get to the nearest diaper bank. They can apply directly to us for our individual loan program. And Wilson kit of cloth diapers directly to their home. That’s really great for people who are in rural areas or people who just don’t have transportation to get somewhere to get back. Yeah,

 

Bailey Bouwman  07:09

that’s fair. So there’s three programs. And I guess that would be that third one is individual support to families. And so you said you 64,000 diapers over the last eight years? Is

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  07:21

that what you said, um, we’ve served 64 Let me check my notes, 63,000 people, a variety of programs. So we have

 

Bailey Bouwman  07:30

Wow,

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  07:31

our cloth programs. Locally, we also do some disposable diaper distributions. We also do period products locally, and reusable period products globally. And then adult care items like incontinence supplies, like briefs, and bed pads and bladder pads and all that kind of stuff

 

Bailey Bouwman  07:52

as Wow, that’s really kind of impressive 63,000 people and I think that I just got off the phone with Salem Cloth project and I looked up the size of her county and that’s every single person in Salem County, to be able to support with diapering or incontinence or period products is just such a wonderful legacy. I mean, you you’re you’ve been involved for a long time. So as Stephanie, what what is your guys’s? What’s your feeling? Like? How does that make you? What do you think about what you’ve accomplished?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  08:27

Um, we’re kind of Mind blown for like, we never thought this was going to be what it is today. And there’s a whole nother side of the business that is kind of in the works as well. That will help fund our diaper programming. So it’s just like, grown bigger than we could have ever expected. But we’re glad you know, the more people we serve the closer we get to ending diaper need period poverty and continents needs.

 

Bailey Bouwman  08:57

Yeah, so many layers to supporting I don’t even know I know, Megan corrected me I when I used the word hygiene last week, it’s not hygiene at basic needs, right, so many different ways that you can or that needs to be supported with reusable washable products. So today, you guys are a 501 c nonprofit, correct. That means you’ve got a board of directors. Yep. Awesome. And what else does that mean? In terms of how your operate organization is operated?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  09:31

We have a tax exempt status. So anytime someone sends a donation to us, we can give them receipts like and write it off. Because it’s official. I don’t know just kind of you know, the government makes sure we’re doing what we say we’re doing, you know, have to submit financial records and everything’s,

 

Bailey Bouwman  09:53

where are you guys located?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  09:55

We’re in Neenah, Wisconsin sorry, where Nina Wisconsin and for people who don’t know Wisconsin very well, we’re big cities that we’re in between our Milwaukee and Green Bay. So we’re south of Green Bay and north of Milwaukee.

 

Bailey Bouwman  10:11

is Nina a small town.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  10:14

It’s fairly small but the fact cities areas kind of a Neenah menasha Appleton is all this big area that you say fact cities, people from Wisconsin No, you’re talking about

 

Bailey Bouwman  10:26

where did the passion to go kind of international  stem from and continue to go? I think I’ve talked to so many people who are focused on local diaper need, but you guys started off internationally? Do you know that kind of story? Could you share it with you?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  10:41

So we, we started International, and we were actually operating international a lot. Before we even considered like, Oh, we have babies in our own backyard who need help, too. Yeah. So that started with our executive director was on a mission trip. She was in Peru in 2011. And she visited a childcare facility that was caring for the caregivers for 15 babies. And poverty there is like something we would never even experience here. So these caregivers were washing and reusing disposable diapers, because they didn’t have the money to cover food, water, rent, and diapers. So they were just doing the absolute best they can to make sure these babies were cared for because they loved them so much, but just didn’t have all the resources they need. So that really stuck with Stephanie. And then she went on, you know, she came home from a trip got married, had a baby use modern cloth diapers on him. His name is Jake. He’s not a baby anymore. And so as he was starting to get older, she’s like, oh, let’s just start this little thing called Jake’s diapers. And we’ll get enough diapers for these babies in Peru. And then we’ll be all done. And there’ll be from there, it was like, Oh, you help the babies in Peru? Well, now there’s babies in Haiti who need help. And there’s youth in India who need help, and there’s babies in Africa hooni. Now,

 

Bailey Bouwman  12:07

there’s babies everywhere, right? everywhere. And there’s diaper need everywhere. Why was really washing diapers, something they were doing versus using cloth and they just been introduced to disposables. And

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  12:24

yeah, I’m not exactly sure. I think they didn’t have the financial resources to even come up with cloth. Or maybe it was just easier when you’re taking care of that many babies to try to.

 

Bailey Bouwman  12:36

Yeah, I mean, that’s probably an entirely other tangent that deserves its entirely other research project is how in the first place, a facility that can afford diapers long term ends up with supposable products. And I feel like I already know the answer based on what happens with formula in some parts of the world. getting pushed on parents anyways, with. Yeah, that’s an interesting thing, as we think about how we can support anybody in any sort of kind of global crisis is, is the products we’re providing them going to support them long term, I guess, would be where that thought needs to go.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  13:14

I know in some of our partners I’ve talked to not really for baby diapers as much, but for older kids, a lot of our partners take care of kids who are going to have incontinence issues their whole life. Once it gets past baby size, they just can’t find anything.

 

Bailey Bouwman  13:31

I mean, that is a struggle, even for parents in the United States, sourcing medical supplies for larger children can be a huge struggle, let alone if you are another part of the world and I could see how are you providing both disposable and washable options to them then

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  13:47

globally, we only provide cloth okay. For most of our clients, that’s the better option. It’s like, you know, permanent solution.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  13:59

One exception we work with a care facility and I don’t know when the last time we did this, but for a while we had been providing some micro preemie and preemie sized diapers only because they couldn’t get them in their country. And they were serving a lot of really tiny babies.

 

Bailey Bouwman  14:17

I mean, that’s kind of a weird exception to

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  14:21

Yeah, those are on and it was an area where safety wise because of lack of clean water type stuff, disposables were just the better option for those babies.

 

Bailey Bouwman  14:33

How do you make sure that what you’re providing to a facility is the better option Are you having what does that kind of look like for you guys?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  14:41

Um, we we asked them what they need. Luckily, we do only offer cloth just because they’re other places that they can get disposable but when we ship things overseas, we want it to be worthwhile, not just a one and done kind of thing. So if cloth is the best option, for them and great. We can help them with that they need and if they’re like, Oh, I really want disposables. We’re like, Hey, we really only do disposable diapers locally to Eastern Wisconsin.

 

Bailey Bouwman  15:15

Gotcha. And I guess you had already answered that question before I asked it. My other thought that I was going to have here was the big question that I think a lot of people I see Jake’s diapers recommended everywhere on the internet. People talk about you a lot, because you guys are serving 63,000 families over the last eight years. That’s a big impact. What’s the best way that we can get involved to support Jake’s? Is there specific products that you’re looking for? What’s the best way? How do you want the community to help you the most?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  15:46

We love when people they’re like okay, I’m all done diapering. My diapers are still in good shape. I want them you know, if they choose not to sell them. We love donations. We love donations of gently use cloth diapers. Our highest needs at the current moment are newborn size cloth diapers and wipes.

 

Bailey Bouwman  16:05

Oh, interesting.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  16:07

So sometimes I have people who sew and they are like, Oh, I can sew cloth wipes that’s great. We love that

 

Bailey Bouwman  16:14

really can be that simple a newborn diapers and wipes because you guys are providing serve you’re providing diapers were said individually internationally and distributing to other diaper banks. When we had chatted you also last time we chatted you mentioned there was a need for simple diapers for flats and for covers. Does that still continue to be something that you guys are looking for most? When someone families?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  16:38

We had a very big donation from petite crown? Oh, yes too long ago. So we’re pretty good on flats right now.

 

Bailey Bouwman  16:45

Okay, Maria is wonderful.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  16:47

We’re good. I’m planning right now. But it is it is something we send just tons of everywhere. And we include them in our US kits and we send them all over the world. So

 

Bailey Bouwman  16:57

Oh, yeah. Is is getting corporate donations from organization from other brands like Marie at petite crown or little helper help you maybe know if somebody else is getting bigger corporate donations from other brands, something that you guys rely on a lot and look forward to the most.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  17:19

We Nicki’s diapers has been supporting us from the very beginning. We work with Oh probably forget to mention some if I try but I know we work with thirsties and Kinga care and blueberry and super undies. I’m sure there’s more happy behinds just started donating to us. And those

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  17:41

are getting and I

 

Bailey Bouwman  17:42

feel really bad for not saying that’s fair. There are as an individual, we can donate our diapers and brands donate diapers? is there other ways that Jake’s diapers need support through volunteers through awareness? Or is it only through product donations?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  18:01

I mean, financial donations are great. We do operate out of a warehouse. Okay, parents, being honest, volunteer wise. There’s we don’t have a lot of volunteer opportunities that are like, outside of local volunteers other than like, maybe if you want to sell stuff and send it to us. But local volunteers we have, you know, the endless need for people to wash us diapers and get them sanitized and ready to go. And we have tons of sorting to do when donations come in. I or on the lucky day that I have someone who knows about cloth diapers will go through and make sure there’s no holes in the pile or the elastic isn’t totally shot or, you know, on some get repaired and some are like perfect the way they are. And every once in a while you find one that just look at it. And you’re like, ah, I don’t think that’s gonna work. What happens is they’re so diverse

 

Bailey Bouwman  18:57

that we as the community are providing to you. There’s probably a few things we should be considering before we send them to you.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  19:05

Hey, yeah, the big thing is if the qL or the TPU is shot, if it doesn’t hold p anymore, it’s not going to hold me for anyone else’s baby either.

 

Bailey Bouwman  19:15

I think there’s always this like big hope in the cloth diaper world that somebody has figured out how to fix pee well, but we haven’t. It’s kind of just like once it’s done. Unfortunately, it’s kind of

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  19:27

I know some people use them swim diapers, but we’re currently drowning in swim diapers.

 

Bailey Bouwman  19:33

It’s okay. I know that the cloth diaper community we are founded on a lot of environmental routes, it’s okay to throw things away sometimes. I can imagine that might be a burden sometimes for some organizations,

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  19:48

if they get too many can be. Usually if a person has something like that and they don’t want to throw it away. If you ask like your local thrift store, they’re probably connected with a textile recycler. So we do a lot of textile recycling. That is a great reminder,

 

Bailey Bouwman  20:05

I forgot about textile recycling. My Local Salvation Army does textile recycling. So you can bring you just like right crash on it, and they will textile recycling. Yep. Awesome. Thank you, Katie, if that’s like a big reminder for the day, I are not sending diapers that are gonna leak through the P ul is probably your biggest one or you guys, you guys have replaced elastics then

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  20:27

we can we tend to burn out volunteers on that pretty fast they do about a tote of them. And they’re like, I don’t ever want to do that, again.

 

Bailey Bouwman  20:36

Local mom had shared that story too.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  20:39

And brands are easier to replace than others. But we try to save as many of them as we can. Yeah, I mean, we can repair no problem. We’re good with snaps.

 

Bailey Bouwman  20:49

Oh, yeah, snap. Sorry, if you’ve got the tools. I don’t have a snap press. So every time I lose a snap, I kind of cry a little but all you need is a snap press. And yes,

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  20:59

there are three of the big ones. So we’re good. We have one for SNAP removal, one for putting the one side on and one preferred for putting the other one on. So those ones we can do.

 

Bailey Bouwman  21:08

What about is hook & loop salvageable?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  21:11

Sometimes it depends how bad it is.

 

Bailey Bouwman  21:15

I think like you’re gonna have to one day send me a picture of some really bad hook and loop just because I’m kind of nosy about what that actually looks like, as I have never burned out my own hook and loop.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  21:24

Yep, sometimes it’s like, is this one still in good enough shape to be worth the effort? Depends.

 

Bailey Bouwman  21:33

It branches have a lifespan, that’s okay to admit that they have a lifespan and that they are going to die.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  21:41

Yep, if you’ve got a whole set of cloth diapers and it lasts to do three kids, you’ve done great for the environment.

 

Bailey Bouwman  21:48

How does Jake’s diapers support education wise when they’re providing diapers and provide that support.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  21:56

Um, so we have like a little sheet we put in our all of our kits that’s, you know, basic, how to care for cloth diapers, what recommendations on how to wash them so that you don’t have problems. And then we also have a Facebook group that is strictly for our clients so that they have a judgment free zone, everybody in there is someone who got their Diapers for FREE from us, and may or may not have any knowledge of cloth at all. So they can come there and be like, I got these things in my kit. And I don’t know what they are like, Oh, those are flats, and I’ll show you how to fold them and how to use them and that kind of thing. So

 

Bailey Bouwman  22:35

that’s a really great way to provide some connection people and building on that community. There are so many different types of diapers, I could see how that could easily get overwhelming. Very quick, what is something that Jake’s diapers looks forward to in the future? Do you guys have any big goals to achieve or that you want to achieve

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  22:55

diaper wise, we just want to keep going with providing picking up more national cloth network partners, we really want all diaper banks. And we’re kind of I’m working with a few other diaper banks that you’ve already talked to Megan and Kaylee and this cloth coalition. And we want to make a really easy like startup guide for diaper banks who aren’t familiar with cloth but want to offer that option. It’s really important to us to offer options because a lot of times when you’re in poverty, or even in like a temporary situation where you need help. You don’t get a lot of options. You go to the food bank, and they’re like, Here you go, hope you like it. And having that like ability for diaper bank to say well, would you like 50 disposable diapers? Or would you like a cloth diaper kit that lasts until your kid potty trains and even if 95% of the people are like I don’t have the energy for cloth, I still want disposables. They’re given choices and there’s some dignity in that. You know, you can have this or you can have this not this is what you get Take it or leave it

 

Bailey Bouwman  24:03

and be like increased awareness that cloth is even an option is I mean, we’re at a point where today it’s maybe 95% choose disposable but next year maybe that exposure rate has gone up and suddenly we have more families choosing those will or cloth and it’s so cool listening to you talk about that international and making sure that they are set up for long term success and I I heard that from Kaylee at Salem cloth diaper bank. And it’s just that long term. Yeah, dignity almost like just to be able to know that you could do that long term or have the support or even do it kind of hybrid II style. You know, you take it today and you do it for a bit and you have a break and then you do it of it again and it ebbs and flows on that side. Yeah,

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  24:47

we’ve even had partners we’ve worked with who work with families who mostly rely on diaper banks for their diapers and we’ve made like half kits like partial kits a cloth diaper I think it was 12 changes for them because that was what she thought would work well, so that if one of her clients runs out of disposable diapers, it’s two days until payday. And she’s already gotten what she can get from the diaper bank for the month, he has an option, or they have an option to, okay, I’m my baby’s not going to go without diapers, I am gonna have to wash cloth diapers. And that’s maybe not that family’s first choice, but their baby is so clean and dry and healthy.

 

Bailey Bouwman  25:28

And that is the goal that we want to have. And I have connected with a few diaper services in the United States lightly who do a hybrid model where they, they offer diaper services as part of their diaper bank model. And that there’s different ways that we can do that as communities based on people’s capabilities and skill sets and how it comes together, which is also a really kind of beautiful, there are diaper bags across the United States that are providing families with disposable diapers. Correct. And so you’re talking about connecting with a national diaper bank. And one thing that cloth diaper parents could do is become that advocate within their disposable. Yeah, they will do what I said chatted about that when we had our on my notes is that a lot of times, I think it was you who had said that these disposable diaper banks, they just don’t have that skill set to be able to support cloth parents. And so there might already be something in somebody’s backyard that just needs a little bit of extra support. Yes, yeah, for sure. Because it’s a whole new skill set. It’s something we’re not very familiar with. I’m so excited to see what comes out of this cloth diaper coalition that y’all are kind of working on. I’ve been connecting more people with Megan to bring them in because there are other diaper bags. And it’s just, it’s so cool. Are you guys like one of the only ones doing outreach in an international and national level? Because the cloth option is only in the US, right?

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  27:01

Yeah. To our knowledge, we’re the only one Well, we’re the only member of the National diaper bank network, at least that we know of that is doing national and international. But most of the members of the network are mainly disposable diaper banks. Do disposable diaper banks work only at a local level or do are there disposable diaper banks that work nationally. They’re usually local. So we’re part of this organization. It’s called the National, the National diaper bank network. And it’s basically like a kind of group of diaper rinks in the United States and shares ideas and that kind of stuff. There’s a big conference every year and we talk about the need and poverty and that kind of stuff, and social equity and distribution and diapers and how to run a diaper bank and all that kind of stuff.

 

Bailey Bouwman  27:57

It reinforces that there isn’t really any national level programs to support diapers. Really what we’re seeing is just cloth. I mean, international at a national level, there are cloth options. There’s Jake’s, there’s the cloth option, and some of the smaller cloth diaper banks will ship if they get asked is my under Yeah, it’s a huge disparity of lack of resources, which I think we know. And it’s just it’s sad to repeat it every time. But there is just this like huge disconnect, and new and diapers for anything else. super important that you felt that this share is representative from Jake’s diapers. Not anything I could think of really, I sometimes get a comment that you’re really hard to get ahold of Katie

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  28:49

I am not hard to get ahold of Jake’s diapers in general is very hard to get a hold up because for the longest time, it was because the phone number on our website was our executive director and she could put her phone down for two hours and have 25 voicemails, but she’s she is very hard to get ahold of just because the amount of people trying to contact her. We now have a landline in our office, it is now working again. It was off and on working for a while. And we just got it working again. And we had like 30 voicemails to get back to what’s the problem who email it is very hard to get ahold of us or if you call someone it’s also very hard to get ahold of us by numbers, not on the website.

 

Bailey Bouwman  29:34

So the office line that is now on our website is probably better if somebody is trying to get ahold of Jake’s diapers, leave voicemail.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  29:43

You can leave a voicemail on our landline office line. Yeah, it’s hard because it’s just pretty much so there’s two staff and then a few of our volunteers also have emails but it’s just a matter of you know, most of the emails go to Oregon. secutor director and if she misses one and doesn’t forward it on to me, if it’s something I’m supposed to handle, then it kind of falls into the abyss of emails. And that’s

 

Bailey Bouwman  30:09

fair enough in recognizing that nonprofits are run by humans who are full of human error, and often overwhelmed. As a cloud, or blogger, I get like 12 emails a day. So I can see that different scales of projects. And I guess giving some grace in that understanding of trying to get a hold of you guys. Sorry about that. Phone error. That sounds like a headache and a half.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  30:38

Yeah, so calling is great. Because usually, if you call that office summary, you get a hold of our volunteer office manager, Cheryl, and she’s fantastic to talk to, and she will get you all set up with what you need to gotcha.

 

Bailey Bouwman  30:49

Okay. So I will recommend that people give you a call if they’re a brand looking to do a corporate donation, and I will spread that word to those DMS I got. There was just like, maybe I’ll ask her while she’s here. It was such a privilege to get to talk to you, Katie, and learn what you guys are doing, and how we can better support you guys. And the incredible work that’s going on. And you guys look like you’re growing team. You had two staff members.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  31:19

We have currently we have two paid staff and then a whole bunch of volunteers working on I think we have two contracted so they’re not technically staff, but we pay them

 

Bailey Bouwman  31:32

hey, that’s like that’s an amazing step for a nonprofit to be able to get to the point where they can compensate their volunteers time.

 

Katie, Jakes Diaper Network  31:41

Such a goal, because it kind of creates a sense of like, responsibility, you know, a volunteer who is, you know,

 

Bailey Bouwman  31:49

I’m just keeping paper orders. But matter comes up to me or my that’s their choice. But when you have a staff you’re like, Okay, we have we know that somebody will be available to staff the warehouse this day this day, and important to recognize people’s time as being valuable their skill sets as being important and provide to be able to provide as a kind of a business. It’s just it’s I often think we take advantage of nonprofits sometimes and feeling that they have to stay grassroots, but to be able to get to a point where you can ensure as longevity of your organization, and yes, yeah, such an invaluable , such so valuable, and I hope the best for everybody that I’ve chatted to this week that they can also get to this point where they can pay their employees or their volunteers for the work that they do. Thank you. I feel like I’ve taken a lot of your time. You’re fine. But I am so glad to have chatted with you, Katie and the world is excited to learn a little bit about Jake’s and if you have anything you need, of course, let me know