Providing moms with basic needs.
As a new mom and social worker, Jamie Lackey was acutely aware of the lack of essential baby items and period products for her Atlanta clients and the drought of public assistance to provide them. “Mothers were having to wash and re-use disposable diapers or even use plastic grocery bags. One in four women and girls frequently lost a week of work or school because they lacked period products,” she says. “Caseworkers were spending time looking for resources instead of doing parenting education. Something needed to be done.”
To fill the need, in 2014 Lackey rallied a group of friends and launched Helping Mamas out of her garage. They spread the word and asked people to drop off baby and period supplies that were distributed to social workers. The organization grew rapidly, moved to a 9,000 square-foot building in Norcross and added two locations in Georgia and one in Knoxville.
In March, the nonprofit kicked off its first Spring Community Diaper Drive with drop off locations at six Tacos & Tequilas restaurants, the Helping Mamas warehouse and Pace Academy in Buckhead. Pace students and teachers have provided scores of volunteers, founded a Helping Mamas Club and hosted a drop-off center during drives. Last year Helping Mamas distributed 4.2 million items and served 118,000 individuals.
HELPING MAMAS
helpingmamas.org
@helpingmamas
