EBC Northshore is Open for Business! PAGE 2
INSIDE
How EBC Has Changed
The Corn r Giving kids what they need to thrive
PAGE 3
Diaper Need and Diaper Need Awareness PAGE 4
SPRING 2017
SPRING Forward with ebc
Letter from Interim Executive Director, Dan Bridge:
I’m very excited
to introduce you to Eastside Baby Corner’s new permanent Executive Director. Jack Edgerton comes to EBC with over 25 years of Executive Director level non-profit leadership, much of it in the field of child advocacy and programming. He has a long history of helping children thrive by supporting the creation of strong, resilient families.
Dan Bridge
welcome new Executive Director
Jack Edgerton
“I am so excited to be joining Eastside Baby Corner. The first reason, of course, is the mission! What a great opportunity for me to join an established and well respected organization. The volunteers, staff, and board have done such an amazing job building EBC into a vital and important resource. I look forward to contributing to our community through my work at EBC,” said Edgerton.
A Seattle-area native, Jack most recently served as Regional Director at Girl Scouts of Western Washington. There he worked with over 5,000 volunteers in providing opportunities to more than 13,000 girls. Prior to that, he was Executive Director of Facing the Future, an organization that provides science and technology education through a lens of environmental sustainability. In addition, Jack served twelve years as Executive Director of Parent Trust, a 35 year old organization dedicated to preventing child abuse and neglect through family skill building … and his dedication to child welfare and community service has never been
confined to his professional career. Jack has been a tireless volunteer with United Way of King County, Family Support Washington, Prevent Child Abuse America, Family Support America, Circle of Parents, Youth Development Executives of King County, Eastside Pathways, and Parents as Teachers. Jack brings an entrepreneurial spirit with him. He managed a merger between Parent Trust and Great Starts, creating the largest independent birth education program in Washington State. This experience makes him an ideal leader as EBC looks to fulfill its 10year strategic goal of increasing our number of kids served by 300%, from 11,000 unduplicated to more than 30,000 kids per year! To help Jack in achieving this goal, a few changes have happened over the past six months. The Next Steps Committee has started looking at potential models for our expansion, looking to ideas from similar organizations around the country and from focus groups of partners and donors. The new Northshore site is now open in Kenmore. Our hard-working volunteers, led by Angela Kennedy, painted, laid carpet, and built 35 shelves to hold inventory. We’re also working on improving inventory transport between Issaquah and the other sites; Evergreen Ford is loaning us a truck each week to move all of our “stuff” around from place to place. We’ve instituted monthly site meetings and have started regular Core Volunteer meetings to better learn about the ideas and needs of those of you doing the day-to-day work. You might notice other changes in the office; Cori Benson is the new Office Manager, in charge of all issues related to The Hub, HR, and the new ordering system. Christine White is leading collection drives and all annual fund efforts while Tricia Barry is handling all EBC communications. In addition, Angie Lamb and Wanda Yamashita are sharing a job to assist Madeline Fish in Operations. Thank you to the Board, the staff, core volunteers, and Transition Team (Kari Magill, Claudia Malone, Jason Shindler, Linda Hall, Dan Bridge) who helped select our new ED. Welcome to Jack! Please come by and meet him. Dan Bridge
2016 – 2017 Board of Directors Officers of the Board: Claudia Malone—President HR Consultant Kari Magill—Immediate Past President CEO, Rowley Properties, Inc. Karen Ridlon—ED Emeritus & Executive VP Founder, Eastside Baby Corner Jennifer Lucas, MSW —Vice President Social Work Independent Consultant
Board of Directors: Jason Shindler —Vice President CEO, Curvine Web Solutions Meghan Altimore, MSSW—Secretary Vice President, Community Services, Hopelink Jason Hizer—Treasurer Vice President, Corporate Controller, Washington Holdings
Colin Cagney KPMG, Director of Major Projects Advisory Jeni Craswell Hopelink, Sr. Mgr., Development & Communication Stephen Good Mass Mutual Seattle, Managing Director Linda Hall Loveall Price & Associates
Staff Leadership: Angela Kennedy Community Volunteer Rick Lessley Nintendo of America, Inc., VP, Supply Chain Group Andrew Symons Inslee, Best, Attorney/ Shareholder
Jack Edgerton, Executive Director 425.372.7526 jacke@babycorner.org Helen Banks Routon, Director of Development & Community Relations 425.372.7525 helenr@babycorner.org Madeline Fish, Operations Manager 425.372.7527 madelinef@babycorner.org
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p2 EBC—Northshore p3 How EBC Has Changed p4 Diaper Need & Diaper Need Awareness p5 Diaper Derby p6 8th Annual THRIVE Luncheon p7 Volunteer Spotlight p8 EBC—West Sound p9 Save the Dates
The Corner Editor: Tricia Barry Graphic Design: Causality Article Contributions by: Helen Banks Routon, Karen Ridlon
The Corner • Spring 2017 • 1
is e r o h s h t EBC - Nor
n e Op ! s s e n i for Bus
EBC – Northshore is giving providers, and the families they serve, in north King and south Snohomish counties access to the resources and support EBC has been providing current clients for 27 years. Our new EBC – Northshore site is located at 6524 NE 181st Street, Suite 6 in Kenmore and the first day for volunteer shifts took place on Monday, March 20th, 2017. Save the date! The Grand Opening for EBC - NS will be on Friday, May 19th at 10 am!
We are very thankful to everyone that has helped with getting this site up and running.
A big thank you
to G&W Commercial Interiors for donating all of the carpet, to our team of dedicated volunteers that built our shelving, installed the carpeting, painted the walls and so much more (Greg Wineland, Dick Scott, Pete Kraetsch & Tim Sullivan)! We are extremely grateful to Bothell United Methodist Church for housing EBC – Northshore for the last 7 years!
Where can I learn more? For more information and to learn more about volunteering at EBC - Northshore, please contact us at northshoreinfo@babycorner.org or at 425-486-2111. Our website is www.babycorner.org/eastside-baby-corner-northshore
2 • The Corner • Spring 2017
Volunteer Times: Mondays: 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm Wednesdays: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Thursdays: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Fridays: 9:00 am – 11:00 am Donations Accepted: Mondays: 6:00 – 8:00 pm Thursdays: 9:00 – 11:00 am
“As a pediatric nurse, I couldn’t afford to buy the formula and diapers for the babies that I saw, but I wanted to do something!” She remembers having each of her family members involved in helping her out in one way or another and, in one specific instance, they helped her dig up concrete blocks out of a volunteers’ back yard so that they could be stacked three high to hold the wooden clothing bins. Using these concrete blocks ensured that nothing was on the ground and nothing could get wet or damaged. A lot has changed since those days and EBC has grown tremendously in terms of the number of kids served per week, the number of orders filled and the number of people that support EBC. How have things changed? “I remember when Skip Rowley gave us one storage unit by the Sammamish Club and we sorted donations there, we had gravel floors and Provider’s names were velcroed to the walls,” said Karen.
THOUGHTS FROM OUR FOUNDER
As Karen looks to the future of EBC, she said she would like to see that we are viewed as the experts in how to deliver the full range of what kids need to thrive in the United States.
with Karen Ridlon Karen Ridlon had very little resources when she started Eastside Baby Corner (EBC) in 1990—a broken playpen, some diapers, a couple baby outfits, and a couple containers of formula. When Karen was a pediatric nurse, she used to see kids come to appointments with mismatched shoes, broken shoes and sometimes no shoes at all.
HOW EBC HAS CHANGED Helen Banks Routon, Director of Development & Community Relations
Q
What do you think is the biggest change you’ve seen since being hired as EBC’s first employee?
Since 2008—when EBC added a full board and the first employee— we’ve more than doubled the number of items given out, we have dozens more provider programs ordering, and we are reaching almost 5,000 more children each year. We have more volunteers and more volunteer hours donated every year … in Issaquah and at our new sites in the West Sound and in the Northshore area. Fundamentally, we are the same as we’ve always been, focused on doing our best to help kids have the tangible supplies they need for healthy, physical, emotional, and cognitive development. We just do so much more now!
q
What was EBC like when you started?
It is hard to believe now, but it was often a real struggle to fill orders when I first started—and the Hub was even colder than now! There were just a couple of desks, and Karen used one of them to do distribution pick up every Thursday. The shop was a table behind intake and the toys were stacked under the window
Pictured above: Helen Banks Routon, EBC; Herb Weisbaum, KOMO News and Madeline Fish, EBC
in the Hub so we could give out more goods to more kids … the Issaquah Hub looks much different than it did eight years ago. It is wonderful to have so many volunteers at EBC. Over time we’ve added several volunteering opportunities during the week and made it so much easier to volunteer with the online calendar system. Just a click and you can sign up to volunteer in Northshore, West Sound or at the Issaquah Hub.
q
What is a big change coming?
This year we’ll be launching a new ordering system, designed to grow as EBC grows. Volunteer, Dave Herb, built and maintained the current system, a big step from the fax forms, and now volunteers Kirk and Melissa are keeping it running. The new system is a huge investment for EBC, but it is essential to meeting our mission of giving kids the basics they need to reach their full potential. The Corner • Spring 2017 • 3
Diaper Need & Diaper Need Awareness One in three families struggle with diaper need. Currently families are unable to use money from nutrition programs (such as food stamps or WIC) to pay for diapers, and those receiving financial benefits often find that they also need to choose between diapers and other necessities, like food or rent. The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) estimates that a third of families have a need for more diapers. They can be costly and infants can use up to 240 of them per month, with an average annual cost of one thousand dollars. People experiencing economic struggles are also less likely to be able to comparison shop for the least expensive diapers or to be able to buy them in bulk, which can also reduce the per-diaper cost.
Beth McKinnon pictured here with her husband Brendan.
DIAPER FACT 1
1 in 3 u.s. moms reports suffering from diaper need.
DIAPER FACT 2
GOVERNMENT ASSISTANT PROGRAMS DO NOT COVER DIAPERS.
DIAPER FACT 3
5.3 MILLION CHILDREN UNDER 3 LIVE IN POOR OR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES.
4 • The Corner • Spring 2017
Those who are unable to afford an adequate supply of diapers often will wash and reuse soiled diapers. This inappropriate reuse of diapers and, an inadequate supply in general, can lead to health problems—urinary tract and other infections for the child and mental health problems for the caregivers who struggle to keep children healthy. The struggle to provide enough diapers is apparent from data showing how much Americans spend on them per year. Families right here in our community experience diaper need every day. That’s why in 2016, Eastside Baby Corner provided 1,147,832 diaper changes. And EBC depends on help from the community to supply all of those diapers.
How Can You Help?
Hosting a diaper drive is a great way to collect a large amount of diapers and one local woman took “hosting a diaper drive” to an entirely new level last year. Beth McKinnon has hosted a diaper drive benefitting EBC for the last five years and over the course of this time through cash and diaper collections, she has donated 62,667 diapers! We are so grateful for her generous donations and continued support. “One of the things I am most proud of is education and awareness that I have shared with friends, family and our community, about the need for diapers in our area. It is such an important and unrecognized issue and I am so happy that we have started the conversation and spread the word,” said Beth. You can donate diapers of every size to EBC and you can also host a diaper drive and can collect diapers in this way as well. Diapers can be dropped off during donation hours or sent directly through our Amazon Wish List (mailing address P.O. Box 712 Issaquah, WA 98027) The 3rd running of the Diaper Derby begins May 5th! Sign your business or organization up to participate!
For additional information and resources on diaper need, please email madelinef@babycorner.org or visit www.nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org.
Diaper Derby Join the 3rd Annual Diaper Derby! The Diaper Derby is a competitive race to collect diapers for babies living in poverty or crisis. Join Eastside Baby Corner in helping kids beat the odds by giving them what they need for a healthy start in life, and parents what they need to take care of their family. Last year we were fortunate enough to collect 54,845 diapers during the second annual Diaper Derby! There were 21 businesses / organizations that participated last year and we’d love to have even more this year!
The Diaper Derby is a competitive race to collect diapers for babies in need. Kentucky Derby … Preakness … Belmont … Diaper Derby The businesses / organizations are filtered into three different categories (Belmont Stakes, Preakness, and Kentucky Derby) and this is based on business / organization size.
How to Register! Please email Christine White at christinew@babycorner.org to get your business or organization signed up or visit www.babycorner.org for more information. Thank you to our Diaper Derby Sponsor, Sound Publishing
Whether you are a front-runner or a long shot, you can give kids what they need to be healthy and to thrive. Join EBC in helping kids beat the odds, giving them what they need for a healthy start in life, and parents what they need to take care of their family.
Choose your horse and jockey, and hit the track for a fun competition. The Corner • Spring 2017 • 5
8th Annual
Benefit Luncheon Wednesday, November 15, 2017 Meydenbauer Center, Bellevue
Save the Date! Kim and Dan Foster, Luncheon co-chairs, invite you to come experience the power of community at our 8th annual Helping Kids THRIVE benefit luncheon on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. This is a wonderful opportunity to join with others who want to make a difference in their community, right here, right now. Working together we can give kids what they need to thrive. Ready to sign up as a table captain? Contact Kim Foster at kimfoster@ihmail.com. Thank you to our Media Sponsor:
To learn more about luncheon sponsorship opportunities or for more information, please email Helen Banks Routon at helenr@babycorner.og.
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volunteer spotlight
Isabel and Olivia Yamashita have been volunteering their time at Eastside Baby Corner (EBC) for 6 years, since they were ten years old. Isabel and Olivia Yamashita are twin daughters of Wanda Yamashita, who has been employed at EBC for 3 years as an Operations Assistant. These girls have enjoyed spending time at the Hub by assisting at Car Seat Checks with their mom and other staff, by performing Irish Dances for volunteers on St. Patrick’s Day and by assisting Provider Partners with carrying out car seats on Provider pick-up days. “Through the experience of supplying car seats, my world view was greatly expanded in terms of the abilities of people to provide for their families. As I was carrying the car seats out, I remembered the time when I was a child, complaining because all of my friends were allowed to sit in boosters, but I still had to sit in the big car seat. Looking back, I realize that my mom was only having me sit in the big car seat because it was the safest seat for me to sit in at the time,” said Isabel. Isabel and Olivia are now 16 years old and definitely have more choices regarding how they want to spend their time. Lucky for us, they continue to volunteer at EBC and they continue to graciously help out whenever they’re at the Hub. “I have and will continue to recommend volunteering at Eastside Baby Corner to friends. Those that I have recommended it to love to volunteer there just as much as I do. I will continue to volunteer at Baby Corner because I love the fact that it is such an easy and enjoyable way to help drastically improve the lives of the less fortunate,” said Olivia.
I will continue to volunteer at Baby Corner because I love the fact that it is such an easy and enjoyable way to help drastically improve the lives of the less fortunate.” Olivia Yamashita
We are thrilled to have Isabel and Olivia volunteer their time with us and we’re very thankful that, at their young ages, they see the need that is out there for children in this area and they too want to help children receive what they need to be able to thrive. The Corner • Spring 2017 • 7
In just one year,
HAS:
given out
2,650
A Step Back in Time Thank You for Making the Children’s Vintage Fashion Show & Tea
A Huge Success! Thank you to our sponsors:
basic items
SERVED
422 Kids
In just one year, EBC – West Sound has outfitted the Bremerton hub, recruited volunteers and established relationships with 26 program partners. Since last April, the volunteers have given out 2,650 basic items for kids from birth to age 5, helping 422 kids! Your donations of gently used or new goods are supplemented with purchases of vital items such as diapers and car seats. Working together, we’ve given out $156,478 worth of supplies to individual children in need. Thank you to~ Clothing by: Ish, individual donors Historical displays: Kitsap History Museum, Silverdale Antiques Flowers by: Tracy Stirrett Merrifield Thank you to Columbia Hospitality
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Save The Dates! May 2 Great Give
May 5
Diaper Derby Kick-off
May 10 Give Big
May 19
EBC - Northshore Grand Opening
Stay tuned for more information to come about all of these upcoming events and how you can get involved! The Corner • Spring 2017 • 9
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION US POSTAGE PAID ISSAQUAH, WA PERMIT NO. 190
Giving kids what they need to thrive
P.O. Box 712, Issaquah, WA 98027
Contact Us PO Box 712, Issaquah, WA 98027 425.865.0234 • ebc@babycorner.org
Volunteer or Donate at these EBC Sites
Stay Connected
The Issaquah Hub
Visit us online at www.babycorner.org
1510 NW Maple Street Issaquah, WA 98027 Mondays: 5:15 – 8:30 pm Thursdays: 9:00 – 11:00 am Saturdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
EBC - West Sound
1463 NE Dawn Road, Suite B Bremerton, WA 98310 Mondays: 6 pm – 8 pm Thursdays: 9:00 – 11:00 am Saturdays: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm
Keep up to date with Eastside Baby Corner news and events by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and Instagram, or by subscribing to our blog. Sign up for social media tools, as well as our monthly E-News online. Our Vision
We imagine a world where all children are healthy, safe and prepared to build their own futures.
EBC - Northshore
6524 NE 181st Street, Suite 6 Kenmore, WA 98028 Mondays: 6:00 – 8:00 pm Wednesdays: 3 pm – 5 pm Thursdays: 9:00 – 11:00 am Fridays: 9:00 – 11:00 am
Our Mission
EBC helps kids reach their full potential tomorrow by meeting basic needs today.