Mothers help mothers, families in need at the Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank

When the world’s hardest job becomes even more difficult, Jessica Histo hopes to be there to help alleviate the burden, even just a little.

Histo is the president and founder of the Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank, a nonprofit that partners with 17 community-based organizations on Hawaiʻi Island that distribute diapers, wipes and other basic essentials to low-income families they serve every month.

“When you think about how many diapers babies go through a year, it’s about 1,000 on average,” Histo said. “If you have multiple kids in diapers, that is a huge amount and often represents 14 to 15% of a parent’s annual income. Many of our families have to choose between buying food or buying diapers, and that is an extremely hard position to be in.”

Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank aims to provide each keiki with 50 diapers every month. They now are serving about 700 keiki per month, according to the nonprofit’s partner agencies.

Recently, Histo hired a warehouse manager, Melissa Matute, to help organize the stock of thousands of packs of diapers, wipes and other essentials for monthly pick-ups by partner organizations. She also helps put together “Makana Packs,” which are annual packages given to each keiki for special occasions.

“We’re distributing about 30,000 diapers a month, so the stock comes into the warehouse and right back out, Matute said. “The space is small, but we make it work as much as we can. We also have other items like blankets, toys, clothes and books, so we can put together our Makana Packs with the items requested by parents and guardians.”

According to Histo, when she founded the the Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank in 2016 it was one of the state’s first organizations committed to collecting and distributing baby essentials free of charge to families in need.

Since operating as a nonprofit in 2018, the bank has reached more people every year and facilitated the donation of about 2 million diapers in total.

“I started this nonprofit because I was fortunate enough to afford diapers and necessities for my child, and it was still hard becoming a mother,” Histo said. “It’s the best job in the world and the hardest job in the world, even more so when you feel you can’t provide for your babies.”

Histo’s 9-year old son, Dylan, chimed in from around the corner: “It’s also the most rewarding, because you make a small speck of humanity.”

The Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank stocks its warehouse with diaper drives, which can be held any time of year, and through individual donations. If the nonprofit receives monetary donations, they can purchase more diapers from wholesalers, which allows the funding to go further.

“While I encourage monetary donations for the purchasing power, we will always take donations of opened or unopened diaper packages as long as they aren’t too old,” Histo said. “We can also help organizations facilitate diaper drives any time of year. They help us so much throughout the year.”

The Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank has been able to grow in reach because they welcome more partnerships every year. The work of these nonprofits continues to fuel Histo, especially as prices continue to rise and more people need assistance.

“I’m continually inspired by our partner organizations, which are much larger than us, and see the impossible situations these mothers, fathers, grandparents, foster parents, and guardians are in every day,” Histo said. “When we get feedback from our partners, or in the rare occurrence we hear from someone we have directly helped, it means a lot and reminds me that we are on the right track and doing good work.”

The Diaper Bank currently distributes to 20 partners statewide, including:

• Big Island Substance Abuse Council in Keaau
• Child & Family Service in Hilo
• Family Hui Hawai’i in Honolulu on Oʻahu
• Family Support Hawai’i in Kailua-Kona
• Going Home Hawai’i in Hilo
• Hawaiʻi Island Community Health Center on Hawaiʻi Island
• HOPE Services Hawai’i Inc. in Hilo
• Hui Mālama Ola Nā ʻŌiwi in Hilo
• Keiki O Ka ʻĀina Preschool in Kailua-Kona
• Molokaʻi Child Abuse Prevention Pathways in Kaunakakai on Molokaʻi
• Neighborhood Place of Kona Kailua-Kona
• Neighborhood Place of Puna in Keaʻau
• Nest for Families in Kealakekua
• Parents And Children Together in Hilo
• P.A.R.E.N.T.S., Inc. in Nāʻālehu
• Parents in Development Foundation in Kamuela
• Parents in Development Foundation in Waimanalo on Oʻahu
• Puna Baptist Church Keiki Kloset in Pāhoa
• The Salvation Army in Hilo
• Ulu Wini (Hawai’i Rise Foundation) in Kailua-Kona

To become a partner agency, email the team at info@hawaiidiaperbank.org.

“It’s crazy to think that when I started, there were just two racks of diapers in my son’s room and now we’re helping hundreds of families every month,” Histo said. “We’re just a team of mamas helping mamas, and while the journey has been difficult, I think this will always be a part of my life.”

For those in need of diapers, wipes, health essentials and more for keiki 0 to 5 years old, fill out the Diaper Bank’s online form, or message on the nonprofit on its Instagram.

Drop-off locations for donations, and online donations can be made on the Hawaiʻi Diaper Bank website.