On Second Thought: Catching Up with Sweet Cheeks Founder Megan Fischer
Written by Abby Farr. Photography by Karly Nemeth.
Getting to sit down a Wednesday evening and learn about the only diaper bank, Sweet Cheeks, in Cincinnati was such a treat. We first interviewed Sweet Cheeks founder Megan Fischer in 2018, but with so much changing for non-profit organizations, especially during a pandemic, we knew we had to catch up with her.
I quickly learned what a well-oiled organization she began single-handedly. Megan left the corporate world and launched her original site in her home in 2016 after a year-long nudge in her gut wouldn’t quit – at the time, there wasn’t a single diaper bank in the entire greater Cincinnati area.
The operation would soon outgrow her home. After spending a few years in a small space in Downtown Cincinnati, they were able to find a much larger (16,000-square-foot) space to meet their ever-increasing need.
Listening to her relentless inner voice to start Cincinnati’s first diaper bank from the ground up takes guts.
There is no government assistance or program to support diaper banks – Megan wants you to know that. As simple as it is, clean diapers impact a baby’s health – and in the U.S., one in three families struggle to provide clean diapers. Disposable diapers cost $70 to $80 per month per baby. More than 40% of children in Cincinnati live below the federal poverty line.
As such, Sweet Cheeks diligently seeks donations big and small. Megan and her development team also keep the operation going through grants, an annual fundraising event, and donors. In August, Huggies, who’s been a significant partner to Sweet Cheeks from the beginning, launched a dollar-for-dollar matching campaign.
But their greatest need is still money. An influx of dollars allows for increased, and much-needed, staffing hours, as well as funding the diaper demand. Sweet Cheeks doesn’t end with diapers; they also offer feminine products and other sanitary needs that government agencies don’t cover.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the city, the need for diapers rose exponentially, according to Megan. As an essential business, their doors never closed. In March, the diaper demand increased by 50,000, and by June, it had spiked to 225,000 diapers. That equates to purchasing $10,000 worth of diapers per month to keep up with the demand, according to Megan. Donations helped cut down the cost, but as government assistance funds for families run out, Megan anticipates their need to jump dramatically once again.
As Megan gave me the grand tour of the unmarked but spacious Sweet Cheeks building, she let me know why they have no signage outside. They don’t want to advertise for walk-ins – they have a higher impact on the community through partnering with local programs.
Sweet Cheeks follows the model of other diaper banks, like the National Diaper Bank Network, which gives a bulk of their diapers to various local non-profits who distribute them to their clients. Sweet Cheeks works with 53 agencies to distribute diapers.
So how does this organization stay afloat? In a word: volunteers – their second greatest need behind money. Once diapers are purchased and donated, all diapers must be taken out of their original packing and then wrapped by the bundle for individuals to receive from whichever agency they are a part of.
Breaking down those boxes and dividing up the diapers is time-consuming. Individuals volunteer, but often it’s families, corporate groups, and camp counselors putting together the diaper bundles in an assembly line.
Continually trying to attract volunteers calls for some creativity, so Megan started “wrappy hours,” in which people can bring in their own beverages and wrap during happy hours. Megan has found that once volunteers come in once for a two-hour time slot, they tend to keep coming back.
Volunteers can also organize diaper drives at workplaces and schools. And, in alignment with their organization, the website provides a diaper drive tool kit. A 15-year-old girl once asked for diapers instead of birthday presents so she could donate them to the organization, according to Megan.
As simple as it is, clean diapers impact a baby’s health – and in the U.S., one in three families struggle to provide clean diapers.
Megan keeps their space immaculately clean, constantly wiping down tables and spraying down seats. The work stations are more than 6 feet apart. And masks are mandatory. Still, as much as demand has increased, volunteerism has significantly declined.
Getting to spend an evening both touring Sweet Cheek’s homebase and interviewing Megan Fischer left me filled with inspiration to make a more significant impact and an eagerness to give back. I can imagine she has that effect on many people she encounters. Listening to her relentless inner voice to start Cincinnati’s first diaper bank from the ground up takes guts. She is the essence of a modern-day female pioneer who took the leap of faith into unchartered territory and continues to push ahead to break new ground.
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