Employees of the Port of Tacoma collected more than 3,500 diapers, 9,400 sheets of baby wipes and $367 in cash during our two-week diaper drive.

The supplies will benefit the Cottesmore Child Development Center that provides care for the children of parents in the Graduation, Reality And Dual-Role Skills (GRADS) program at Oakland High School. Created to encourage pregnant teens and young parents to complete their high school education, the program currently supports 19 families at the center. Through the state-offered subsidy program called, Working Connections Child Care, the students are able to pay for child care support while they go to school. Just last year, the program helped five moms graduate high school.

In two weeks, we raised enough items to supply parents with diapers and wipes for the rest of the school year.

“Because we typically ask the parents to provide their own diapers and baby wipes, this is a huge help,” said Clarisa Fellenz, the family advocate for the child care center. “We’ll use the supplies at the center and also send additional diapers and wipes home with the parents.”

– Port of Tacoma