More than 100 Bank of America employees volunteered by donating diapers and wipes to the Diaper Bank of the Inland Empire. (Courtesy of Diaper Bank IE)
More than 100 Bank of America employees from across Riverside and San Bernardino counties recently came together to address a growing crisis in their own backyard: diaper insecurity. The volunteers collected and delivered more than 13,000 diapers and wipes to the Diaper Bank of the Inland Empire during a May donation drive spanning 25 local bank branches.
The contribution arrives at a critical time for the nonprofit organization, which distributes more than 30,000 diapers monthly to families struggling to afford basic necessities. According to the Diaper Bank, one in two families with infants cannot afford adequate diapers as costs continue to rise.
"Knowing that one in two families struggle with a diaper need for their babies was, honestly, shocking and inspired us to coordinate these diaper drives to support families," said Jessica Adams, consumer vice president at Bank of America and employee volunteer coordinator. "Many of my BofA colleagues and I are parents or caretakers of little ones, so we've been participating with the diaper drives for a few years now, because it's near and dear to us. The work the Diaper Bank of the Inland Empire does for families in need is inspiring, and we feel so fortunate to be able to help."
Originally launched by the Junior League of Riverside in 2019, the Diaper Bank recently became a standalone nonprofit due to overwhelming demand across both counties. Operating under the philosophy that "access to diapers is a right, not a privilege," the organization serves families through direct distribution centers, community partnerships and mobile outreach programs that remove transportation barriers for families in need.
Adams described the impact of meeting families during the delivery: "The gratitude and relief they expressed when receiving these essential items was very touching and has inspired us to start planning our next drive."
The donated supplies — 7,400 diapers and nearly 6,000 packages of wipes — will directly support families who rely on the organization's services throughout Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Families in need of assistance or individuals interested in volunteering or donating can visit the Diaper Bank of the Inland Empire at www.diaperbankie.org.
