Members of Summitview Christian Reformed Church in Yakima, Washington, don’t throw away old T-shirts. They make them into cloth diapers.
Summitview CRC makes cloth diapers for families that need them.
Photo taken by Colby Rasmussen
The church is partnering with a new nonprofit organization called Cutie Bondoonie to provide cloth diapers for low-income families and educate the public about this alternative way to diaper their babies.
Suzanne Voldman, founder of Cutie Bondoonie, who attends Summitview CRC said, “Our purpose is getting diapers to people who need them. There is no government assistance for diapers. Families spend sixty to one hundred dollars a month on disposable diapers.”
Cutie Bondoonie provides diaper kits containing cloth diapers made from T-shirts, diaper covers, cloth wipes, and diaper cream to moms with low income.
Members of Summitview CRC have already filled one plastic bin with T-shirts, flannel blankets, and towels. Andy DeKorte, pastor of the church, said, “We knew this was something we could support . . . everyone has old T-shirts in their closets and dressers, and even old towels and flannel blankets.”
Summitview CRC members and neighbors will also participate in a “diaper derby” later this year. Volunteers will cut out fabric, insert snaps, and assemble cloth diapers for the kits in a fun social setting.
Cutie Bondoonie is also offering a workshop called Cloth Diapering 101 that teaches parents of all income levels the benefits of using cloth diapers. “Cloth diapering is an intimidating thing for people,” explained Voldman. “The more people know what it is, they aren’t so intimidated by it.”
About the Author
Amy Toornstra is a freelance news correspondent for The Banner. She lives in Salem, Oregon.
