[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 173 (Thursday, October 26, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 IN RECOGNITION OF EASTSIDE BABY CORNER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. DAVID G. REICHERT

                             of washington

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 26, 2017

  Mr. REICHERT. Mr. Speaker, for over two decades, Eastside Baby Corner 
(EBC) in Issaquah, Washington has provided invaluable services to 
families in need throughout the surrounding community. EBC founder, 
Karen Ridlon, first saw the need for a nonprofit committed to providing 
families with resources for babies through her work as a local nurse 
practitioner. Countless newborn babies in her practice left the 
hospital to go to homes that did not have adequate food, clothing, 
sanitary care products, and safety equipment.
  What began as a small collection of resources collected in Ms. 
Ridlon's dining room has grown into an organization that serves over 
800 children each week and has filled over 500,000 orders of baby 
essentials. Nonprofits similar to EBC have filled important needs 
within communities across America. In 2016 alone, more than 300 
nonprofit diaper banks and diaper pantries that are members of the 
National Diaper Bank Network across 46 States distributed over 
52,000,000 donated diapers, helping ensure that more than 278,000 
children had the diapers they needed.
  In light of Diaper Awareness Week last month, I visited EBC, toured 
the warehouse, and met with some of its committed volunteers. I applaud 
EBC and other members of the National Diaper Bank Network for the 
critical work they do to provide families with the infant essentials 
they need and better ensure that babies have a healthy start to life.

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