Raising Awareness
Healthy Steps is on a mission to empower families and individuals throughout South Central PA to thrive by providing a reliable and adequate source of diapers and feminine hygiene products.
1 in 2 families struggle to buy diapers and 2 in 5 people struggle to purchase period products. These numbers are heart breaking! Without a sufficient supply of diapers, parents are forced to keep their babies in diapers longer than is healthy for a child or even to reuse diapers. Without a sufficient supply of feminine hygiene products, menstruators are not able to participate fully in daily life. This needs to change!
Neither SNAP or WIC can be used to purchase diapers, pads, or tampons leaving many people without a way to get the essential products they desperately need for themselves or their loved ones. Healthy Steps Diaper Bank has been working tirelessly to end diaper need in South Central PA since we were founded in 2013 by Susan Speese, and we expanded in 2021 to include fighting period poverty. We believe everyone deserves to be clean, dry, and healthy.
Our Impact
Every month we distributed on average 53,000 diapers to 1,045 children and 5,600 period products to 265 menstruators.
2023 Data
– 639,466 diapers in total were distributed in 2023 (6% increase over 2022)
– 67,601 period products in total were distributed 2023 (50% increase over 2022)
– 386 unique volunteers donated 1,756 volunteer hours (4% increase in unique volunteers and 15% increase in volunteer hours over 2022)
– 7 free Healthy Diapering trainings were provided to more than 125 caregivers
– Partnered with 33 family service agencies to get the diapers and period products into the hands of people who need them while reducing transportation constraints and multiple registrations through our collaboration.
Board and Staff
2024-2025 Board of Directors
Carla Miller, President & Treasurer
Nikki Shanahan, Vice-President
Sandy Gates – Secretary
Jen Campbell – Treasurer
Alison Beck
Marie Carson
Candace Scalese
Sue Sweigard
Healthy Steps Staff
Amanda Barnes – Executive Director
Rebecca Cason – Program Director
Danica Storry – Finance Director
