During the 2024 HomeAid Essentials Drives from March to August, HomeAid affiliates, in collaboration with several building and nonprofit partners, collected 8,310,431 essential items to help individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness. These necessary items will provide much-needed resources to children, families, and other individuals nationwide.
This year’s HomeAid Essentials took place across the country, with 12 participating HomeAid affiliates. The drives focused on collecting diapers, wipes, and other critically needed baby items, which will be distributed to children and families at risk of or experiencing homelessness. HomeAid Phoenix specifically collected socks and underwear, addressing another crucial need for individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
A June 2024 report from the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) stated that 25% of parents and caregivers with diaper needs reported having to miss work or school because they did not have enough diapers for childcare. On average, they reported missing 5.1 workdays in the past 30 days, resulting in a loss of $296 per month for a parent earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.
To help combat this growing crisis and eliminate the risk of homelessness for children, families, and individuals, HomeAid Affiliates throughout the country conduct annual spring/summer HomeAid Essential Drives. In these drives, they bring together the building industry and their communities to collect and distribute crucial items to local service providers.
While government assistance programs generally cover welfare, food stamps, and Medicaid for low-income households in need, they usually do not cover diapers and wipes. HomeAid affiliates across the country help address this by contributing these necessary items to nonprofit partners who, in turn, distribute them directly to families and individuals in need.
“We are incredibly proud of the collective impact made by HomeAid and our affiliates through this year’s Essentials Drives. The overwhelming response from our communities across the nation has been nothing short of inspiring. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, we have been able to provide much-needed diapers and essential supplies to thousands of families experiencing homelessness or hardship. These donations are more than just items — they represent hope, dignity, and relief for parents and caregivers struggling to meet basic needs. Together, we are creating meaningful change and demonstrating that when communities unite for a cause, we can lift each other up in powerful ways.” – Scott Larson, CEO, HomeAid America.
The following are the totals of the 2024 spring/summer essentials campaigns from 12 HomeAid affiliates:
HomeAid Atlanta — 241,800
HomeAid Austin — 296,226
HomeAid Colorado — 3,956,481
HomeAid Inland Empire — 126,908
HomeAid National Capital Region — 778,819
HomeAid Northern California — 26,133
HomeAid Orange County — 1,136,540
HomeAid Orlando — 610,502
HomeAid Phoenix — 8,065
HomeAid Puget Sound — 41,832
HomeAid Southern Nevada — 56,364
HomeAid Utah — 1,036,761
