The best volunteers are the ones who are committed and always show up : NPR
A retired nurse knew that many families in her community struggled to afford diapers. So she chose a volunteer job where she could really help.
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When it comes to volunteering, every organization has people they can always count on to show up and tackle any task. For our Here to Help series, Rachel Keith of Member Station WHQR reports on a retired nurse who found her volunteer niche.
RACHEL KEITH, BYLINE: Doris Robinson has a lot of experience wrapping diapers. She comes to the Diaper Bank of North Carolina in Lower Cape Fear every Wednesday.
DORIS ROBINSON: You do a lot of pushing and pulling with the plastic wrap, but that’s what keeps the layers together. Even though it seems a bit chaotic, there is a method (laughs) to this madness.
KEITH: Robinson worked as a nurse for 40 years. From the beginning, she was called to maternal health.
ROBINSON: In my early years, I worked in the emergency room and I was always drawn to mothers and babies.
KEITH: And attracted to helping moms with prenatal care.
ROBINSON: Encourage people to take folic acid and not smoke while pregnant.
KEITH: And because Robinson had a career as a nurse, she understands the importance of that work, says Julie Bowling, branch manager here.
JULIE BOWLING: So she’s seen firsthand the impact of not having diapers and how that, you know, affects families and children and caregivers who want to do the best for their children, but the funds don’t go far enough.
KEITH: That’s where diaper banks come in. They receive donations from individuals, but most of their supplies are purchased in bulk. The Urban Institute says about 8 million American children live in families that struggle to afford diapers. Robinson saw the need in his community.
ROBINSON: I know a lot of people make assumptions about who gets extra benefits, but I (laughter), I guess, would ask them to put themselves in their shoes. Because it’s a different life when you’re truly in need and trying to make decisions about what to spend your precious money on.
KEITH: It can cost up to $100 a month to diaper a baby. There is no federal government program that subsidizes diapers.
ROBINSON: These products are very expensive, and it just helps people get what they need with dignity.
KEITH: Bowling first met Robinson three years ago at a talk she was giving. Robinson later told her she would report to the diaper bank warehouse right after she retired.
BOWLING: I mean, it was literally like the next week. I was wondering, did you want to take a minute to retire? She was there, like, immediately.
KEITH: And Robinson has kept popping up ever since.
BOWLING: She’s here almost every week. Like, I… the only time she’s not here is when she’s sick or, you know, when she’s traveling (laughs).
KEITH: This consistency in volunteering has become essential for Bowling.
BOWLING: Being able to walk up to someone and say, Hey, I need you to do this for this agency or package this order in this way, and for them to just run with it, and then I can move on, that’s invaluable.
KEITH: Robinson is that person for her, a reliable and consistent volunteer.
For NPR News, I’m Rachel Keith in Wilmington, North Carolina.
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