Jake's Network of Hope

Diaper need is real, and it’s impacting families in our community every day. Jake’s Network of Hope is here to help. During National Diaper Need Awareness Week, we're committed to making a difference by providing essential resources to those in need. Tonight, we’re thrilled to join our amazing supporters at Casino Night, raising funds to purchase diapers that will go directly to families in our community. Every dollar makes a difference! Together, we can #EndDiaperNeed. Check out our video to learn more about our mission and how you can help!

One of Jake's NOH programs, the Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank, is a collaboration with United Way Fox Cities to address this critical need in our community. Together, we are able to make a greater impact, providing essential diapering supplies to families in need. A huge thank you to Kimberly-Clark for their incredible support, sponsoring this program and donating several pallets of diapers and pull-ups throughout the year. Thanks to their generosity and our dedicated community partners, we’ve already distributed over 1 million products in 2024 throughout 14 counties, helping keep babies dry, clean, happy, and healthy!

Jake’s Network of Hope and United Way Fox Cities Unite to Launch?the Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank!? ? In the Fox Cities, Diaper Need Awareness Week emphasizes a new and impactful local partnership. United Way Fox Cities and Jake’s Network of Hope are proud to announce the unification of their Diaper Banks under one location to better serve families across Eastern Wisconsin.?? ? The newly co-operated Diaper Bank will be known as the Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank. This strategic partnership allows them to pool resources and expertise, ensuring they can meet the essential needs of more local families.?? ? This decision comes in response to the findings from the 2023 Diaper Check, which revealed that 47% of families are struggling to afford diapers. Most childcare providers require a day’s supply of disposable diapers, causing parents and caregivers to miss work. A quarter of families with children miss an average of five days of work per month because they cannot afford enough diapers.? National Diaper Need Awareness week is scheduled for September 23 – 29, 2024 to draw attention to this critical need in our communities.?? Jake’s Network of Hope is now co-located at United Way Fox Cities Hub, located at VPI, Inc.’s Kensington production facility. The Jake’s Network of Hope team will oversee the Diaper Bank’s daily operations including product procurement, warehousing, inventory management, partner engagement, and fundraising efforts. United Way Fox Cities will coordinate and manage the packing opportunities for community volunteers and corporate partners. Together, they will work to meet the community’s basic needs for diapers, period products, and adult incontinence products.? ? “United Way Fox Cities is truly excited about our new collaboration with AJake’s Network of Hope,” said Lisa Kogan-Praska, President & CEO of United Way Fox Cities. “By combining our talents and resources, we can serve more families and have an even greater impact across our region.”?? ? “Diaper Need Awareness Week highlights the fact that we all know someone who struggles to afford essential hygiene items,” said Scott Sawinski, Executive Director of Jake’s Network of Hope. “The Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank strives to make a significant impact in the lives of our families and neighbors to help supplement the hygiene needs in our community.”? ? On Tuesday, September 24 at 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 pm., the Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank will be hosting an open house. All are welcome to attend this event at The Hub, located at 110 N. Kensington Dr. in Appleton. Partners and community members can help repack diapers, enter to win a door prize, and learn more about this local effort.

It’s National Diaper Need Awareness Week! Did you know that almost 1 in 2 families struggle to afford diapers? Now is the perfect time to help support those in need! Our online Silent Auction is LIVE, and you can join in on the action from anywhere—even if you can’t make it to Casino Night this Thursday! From amazing getaways to exclusive experiences, there's something for everyone. Every dollar raised helps us purchase and distribute diapers to families in need through our incredible community partners. Click the link to start bidding and make a difference today! Let's work together to ensure every baby in our community has the essentials they deserve! https://lnkd.in/dTGh9n3d #DiaperNeed #SupportFamilies #CommunityImpact #SilentAuction #Jake'sNOH

How Does a Diaper Bank Work? This is a question we get asked often, and with National Diaper Bank Awareness Week just a week away, we’re excited to explain how our program operates. At Jake’s Network of Hope, we run several essential programs, one of which is our Diaper Bank. Earlier this year, we partnered with United Way Fox Cities to co-manage a single, unified community diaper bank. Thanks to the continued support from Kimberly-Clark, a longtime United Way diaper bank sponsor, this collaboration has led to the creation of the **Kimberly-Clark Eastern Wisconsin Diaper Bank**. Unlike direct service organizations, Jake’s Network of Hope works through a network of partners, including nonprofits, schools, and faith-based organizations across Eastern Wisconsin. These agencies apply online to become partners and share details about their mission and the communities they serve. After a one-on-one meeting to ensure they align with our standards for diaper distribution, these partner organizations are able to order diapers monthly, providing 50 diapers per child to families in need. Although partners don’t pay for the diapers themselves, they do contribute a minimal agency fee. This helps cover some of our administrative costs, such as storage, warehousing, staff time for managing orders, and product wrapping. Once approved, partners receive a link to place their monthly orders, specifying the quantities and sizes they need – from newborn to size 6 diapers and pull-ups. Volunteers at Jake’s Network of Hope pick and pack the orders on Mondays, ready for Thursdays pickup. Our role includes overseeing the daily operations of procuring diapers, which we do through both donations and purchasing. In 2025, the estimated cost for purchasing diapers will be around $280,000, as many sizes are not often donated. United Way Fox Cities supports us with a part-time employee who coordinates corporate volunteer groups to wrap products, while VPI assists with using their forklifts to help us store the wrapped diapers until they’re ready for distribution. Our goal is to ensure that every community in Eastern Wisconsin has access to diapers for families facing need. We rely on support from the community, local corporations, and individuals to ensure we can continue purchasing diapers when donations fall short. If you’d like to learn more about how the Diaper Bank operates or any other program at Jake’s Network of Hope, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We’d love to provide a tour and answer any questions you may have. https://lnkd.in/gmuCi7ZS

Exciting News for Casino Night Attendees! When you check in at the door, you’ll start with $2,500 in fun money, but that’s just the beginning! You can win even MORE throughout the night: -- Bring a case of diapers and receive a scratch-off ticket! -- Answer "Over/Under" questions from our board members or staff, and each correct answer gets you another scratch-off ticket! Scratch-off tickets could reveal anything from $250 to $2,000 in extra fun money, or... well, maybe no win this time. But hey, it’s all part of the fun! Don’t miss your chance to play, win, and make a real difference. See you there!

The countdown is on – there are just 5 days left to grab your tickets for Casino Night! Don’t miss out on a fun-filled evening with exciting games, raffles, and incredible prize packages, all while supporting a great cause. https://lnkd.in/gK-A6xXB

We're so excited to bet on a better future at Casino Night! Get ready for an unforgettable evening where each ticket, just $75, comes with $2,500 of "Fun Money," dinner (served from 6-8 as a help-yourself buffet), an all-you-can-eat Culver's Ice Cream Sundae Bar, and entertainment throughout the night! And the best part? All proceeds go towards ending diaper need. How does it work? When you check-in, you'll receive your fun money to play Black Jack, Poker, Roulette, Craps, or Bingo. Need more fun money? Our attendants will be happy to assist with extra cash, and we suggest a donation amount for the extra fun! At the end of the evening, convert your fun money into raffle tickets: $1-$500 = 1 ticket $501-$1,000 = 2 tickets And so on... Not into gambling? You can instantly turn your $2,500 into 5 tickets! Throughout the evening, don't miss out on our Diamond Necklace and Bourbon raffles! Place your tickets into any of our 5 prize packages at the end of the night and cross your fingers! We can’t wait to see you there!

Many families face heartbreaking challenges when it comes to diaper need, and unfortunately, there are no federal programs specifically designed to help families purchase diapers. Did you know that diapers can only be bought with TANF cash assistance? Yet, only 23% of families living below the Federal Poverty Level receive this assistance nationwide. Here in Wisconsin, the situation is even more dire—there’s no state funding to help supply diapers, and non-food items like diapers aren’t covered by SNAP or WIC. This leaves many families struggling to provide this basic necessity for their children. At Jake’s Network of Hope, we witness this struggle every day. That’s why we’re not just providing diapers; we’re advocating for change. We believe diapers should be exempt from sales tax, and we’re pushing for state budget allocations to help families access these essential items. Your donations play a crucial role in this fight. They help us purchase diapers—especially sizes 5, 6, and pull-ups—which are always in high demand. These contributions ensure our warehouse stays stocked and that no family experiences a gap in support. Together, we can make a difference. Let’s raise awareness, advocate for change, and ensure that every child has the basic necessities they need to thrive.

Exciting news for our upcoming Casino Night! Your ticket includes an evening full of fun with access to all the games ($2,500 in fun money given to each attendee at registration), dinner, an all-you-can-eat Culvers Sundae Bar, and a chance to win some amazing prizes! All fun money gets turned into raffle tickets at the end of the evening. Here's what's up for grabs: ?? A Sheboygan Vacation ? A Golf Package ?? A RealTree Ride on Jeep ??? A Camping Package ??♀? A Spa Package Plus, don't miss out on our special raffles for a diamond necklace ?? and top-shelf bourbon ??! Join us on September 26th from 5-8:30 pm at the Dreams Venue in Menasha for a night to remember! #CasinoNight #Fundraiser #JakesNOH