Basics for Babies

Join our kick-off event at the Children’s Museum! Bring a DONATION of diapers and/or formula, and your admission to the Museum is free! The event will feature a remote broadcast from KAFE 104.1FM, baby-themed activities, and more! The Diaper & Formula Drive will launch on February 22 and continue until the need has been met! Event details below:

• Kick-off Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025
• Time: 11am-3pm
• Admission: Donation of diapers and/or formula
  • Financial support is also welcome! Click here to donate. Contributions are tax-deductible, CMSC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, EIN# 2081180
• Activities:
  • Live broadcast with KAFE 104.1FM!
  • Jason Hilde, DDS will be in the Dentist Office exhibit doing FREE dental screenings & handing out toothbrushes
  • Fun & informative games and contests like: Diaper Derby, Formula Bowling & more
  • Pediatric professional demos & info sessions
  • Fundraising raffle

If you couldn’t make it to the kickoff event, the need is ongoing and the Drive will continue! Financial and in-kind donations are always accepted.

Click here to donate. Contributions are tax-deductible, CMSC is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, EIN# 2081180

Basics for Babies Diaper & Formula Drive is sponsored by:

KAFE 104.1FM

Family Care Network

Bob and Jennifer Sass-Walton

Diane & Mark Studley

Brad Methner, Agent for State Farm

BrandQuery

Jacque Beamer

A Charitable Fund from Skagit Community Foundation

Debra & Doug Lancaster

Heidi Hawkins

Teddy Hickox

Angela Roscoe

About the HMGS Family Resource Center

In Skagit County, we care deeply about the health and well-being of families with young children! We know that the early years are full of a variety of joys and stresses, and no one should have to do this without healthy supports. The Skagit County Board of Health has an advisory committee called the “Population Health Trust”. This group conducted a community health assessment focused on the First 1,000 Days of life and developed a community health improvement plan based on that assessment. Development of a Family Resource Center supports the strategies in this plan for assuring that families can provide safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for their children.

The initial establishment of a Help Me Grow-Skagit Family Resource Center (HMGS FRC), with CARES Act funding from Skagit County, allowed us to begin to meet the needs of families with young children, including pre-birth. The HMG-S FRC is based at and operated by the Children’s Museum of Skagit County, which is safe, trusted and accessible for Skagit families.

• Operations began in October, 2020, in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is ultimately a part of the Children’s Council of Skagit County, and supported by many of the key people, organizations and initiatives within the framework of Help Me Grow-Skagit.
• The Family Resource Center is providing reliable local information, referral to services and application assistance for public programs. A screening form is used to determine need.
• The Center provides basic needs items including diapers, wipes, formula, cleaning supplies. We also distribute safe sleep items and car seats. Another goal of the Center is to connect families to other sources of basic needs and supports they may qualify for.
• Activity kits and books to families to promote early learning are provided. Every family that we’re serving receives a “Care” package, filled with items such as hand sanitizer, toothbrushes and toothpaste, bubbles, resource lists and information, tissues, and Vroom tips.
• To date we have served thousands of families in Skagit County through direct distributions and community partnerships. We collaborate with local agencies and health care providers, such as WIC, Skagit Valley Hospital, Skagit County Public Health, and United General District 304.
• In 2021a Skagit Family Resource Navigator was added, with funding provided by Within Reach. This Skagit County-based specialist is available to guide parents and caregivers to the resources they need, serving as a central access point to connect families to community, regional and statewide services and resources.
• In late 2024, the Skagit Family Resource Navigators were shifted to our local Help Me Grow system, and linked to the HMGS Family Resource Center. We continue to have a HMGS FRN onsite at least one day a week, to meet with families and collaborate with staff.
• The FRC is staffed with a full-time program manager and coordinator, other museum staff part-time, along with support personnel from SC Public Health. The FRC team includes two people who are bilingual, and one who is tri-lingual. The HMGS FRC Advisory Committee meets monthly. The HMGS Family Resource Center provides valuable, real-time data about local needs and our community’s ability to meet those needs. This will also create efficiencies in the use of local resources and will streamline assistance for families.

Help Me Grow Skagit Family Resource Center 2025 Partners

Skagit County Public Health Department

United General District 304

Children’s Council of Skagit County

WIC Program-Community Action of Skagit County

WIC Program-United General District 304

didgʷálič Wellness Center

Maternity Support Services

Skagit Regional Clinic and Skagit Valley Hospital

Anacortes Family Center

Youthnet

Helping Hands Food Bank

Food Banks throughout Skagit County

Friendship House

Family Promise

Skagit County School Districts

CPS/DSHS/DCYF of Skagit County and Region

Skagit/Island Head Start and ECEAP Programs

Brigid Collins Family Support Center

Inspire Development Center; Migrant Head Start

SPARC and Skagit County Parent to Parent

Secret Harbor

Community Action Agency-including East County

Sea Mar Community Health Centers-including East County

Current & Long-Term Goals

We’re building Help Me Grow Skagit—where community organizations work together to make sure that ALL Skagit families can learn about the many services and supports available to them along their parenting journeys.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Support: Pregnancy Connections nurse, WIC, Maternity Support Services, parent groups

Basic Needs assistance: organizations that provide help with food, shelter, utilities, diapers

Child Care/Early Learning: child care and preschool options, play and learn groups, library story times, Kindergarten registration and more

Car Seat Installations, Checks, and Car Seat Distributions

Mobile Van with Office Setup: The ability to meet with families, and distributions onsite

Family Support: parent coaches, support groups, warm lines, home visiting programs

• Dad’s Groups
• Bringing Baby Home
• Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups
• Sensory Experiences at CMSC-in partnership with SPARC
• Kaleidoscope Play & Learn Groups
• Family Palooza-events twice a year
• Vision Link-data program in partnership with Within Reach
• Family Fun: activities and events; access to the Children’s Museum
• Health and Wellness: free/low cost health care, dental care, family planning, mental health services and supports, recovery services
• Special Needs: services and supports for children with health/developmental concerns

People can connect with Help Me Grow Skagit Family Resource Center by:

Phone/text at 360-230-9129 Email: helpmegrow@gmail.com  Online at www.helpmegrowskagit.com

Key Initiatives & Funding Sources

Key 2023/2024 Initiatives

• FRC Staff certified in FRC Standards
• Partnering with Law Enforcement for basic needs distributions
• Parent Support groups/classes (co-parenting, etc.) and Parent Advisory Participation
• Ukrainian/Russian/Czech translation support
• Partnering with other FRCs in Skagit and neighboring communities
• Mobile FRC
• Outreach in Skagit County-East County, Anacortes, etc.

 Funding Sources

• SC Public Health Promotora for Mixteco-speaking families, and Community Health for the Family Resource Navigator
• WA Commerce Grants-FRC and Diaper Bank
• On-site programming staffed by partners and CMSC/FRC staff
• Donations from Service Groups, including Kiwanis & Soroptimists
• Disaster Relief and other charitable funds from the Skagit Community Foundation
• Children’s Museum Auction/fundraising initiatives
• Private donations
• WA Commerce Family Resource Center and Diaper Bank Grants
• 5% Friday-Skagit Valley Food Co-op on March 28, 2025 (4% Friday-Skagit Valley Food Co-op-past)
• Event sponsorships
• Federal Community Project Funding $431,000-contract in process

Distribution Data

Diapers

• 92,550 total diapers were distributed in 2024
• Learn more about diaper needs in Washington State [PDF], compiled by the National Diaper Bank Network

Baby Wipes

• 3,375 packets of wipes, totaling 243,000 wipes, were distributed in 2024

Formula

• 485 total cans of formula were distributed in 2024

Car Seats:

• 251 Total car seats have been distributed in the two plus years
  • 124 in 2023, 117 in 2024, and 10 in 2025 to date
• Our team is also conducting car seat safety checks for existing car seats, to ensure the fit for the child, and proper installation.
• Car seat installations typically take place on Wednesdays. If the family speaks Ukrainian, Russian, or Czech, then we do the installation on Monday when we have an interpreter onsite.
• We currently have two certified car seat safety technicians, and a third person who is on-call.
• Provide car seats and safe sleep when needed on an emergent basis to infants at Skagit Valley Hospital and Skagit Regional Clinics

The Family Resource Center serves ~75 families per week. In 2024, 3,366 distrubutions were made, directly impacting ~13,464 individuals. Basic supplies, on average, cost $60/family. Families can use the FRC once per month. In addition to donating much-needed supplies, please consider sponsoring a family. All support is welcome.

HMGS FRC Advisory Committee

The HMGS FRC Advisory Committee provides primary oversight of operations. Membership consists of:

• Jennifer Sass-Walton, Skagit County Public Health
• Lyndie Simmonds, United General District 304
• Margaret Wolken, Pediatric Occupational Therapist
• Maddy McKenzie, Skagit Community Foundation
• Wende Dolstad, Community Action Skagit-WIC Program
• Debra Lancaster, Community Non-profit Executive, Retired
• Rosa Paz, Skagit County Public Health Promotora, HMGS FRC and FRN
• Xiomara De La Rosa, CMSC/HMGS Family Resource Center and Distribution Manager
• Emily Vander Haak, CMSC Director of Operations & Education, Family Resource Center
• Cate Anderson, Executive Director, CMSC and the HMGS FRC
• Natalia Lagunas, HMGS Distribution Coordinator
• Janna Uffelman, Skagit County Public Health
• Sydney Costello, United General District 304-WIC Program
• Marielva Romero Cazares, CMSC
• Margaret Wolken, Skagit Tot Studio
• Liz Cooksey, United General Hospital
• Emily Molina, Skagit County Public Health Community Health Worker, HMGS FRC and FRN
• Jill Pickering, Skagit Community Foundation