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ALBANY – Albany community members and leadership celebrated the grand opening Tuesday of Helping Mamas Albany during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Helping Mamas is Georgia’s only baby supply bank. The nonprofit provides baby supplies, like diapers and wipes, as well as period products for families in need. The mission is to ensure no family should have to choose between paying a bill or keeping their babies clean and dry.

The new Albany office, at 1301 Dawson Road, will service Dougherty County with these products through partnerships with local agencies, including Alpha Pregnancy Center, Open Arms Communities and Schools, Liberty House, Family Literacy Connection and Family Wellness Outreach Center of Georgia.

Helping Mamas founder and CEO Jamie Lackey said across the country, 1 in 2 families struggles to afford diapers.

“With inflation skyrocketing and the loss of pandemic relief funds, families are feeling a crunch more than ever,” she said.

Lackey started Helping Mamas 10 years ago and said she continuously watches the need grow across the state. Since 2014, it has distributed more than 8 million essential baby items to 300,000 families, according to a press release. Nearly 46% of the families Helping Mamas serves report they were able to pay rent with money they saved on diapers.

“We were getting a lot of calls for a very long time from people in Albany and south Georgia needing help with things like diapers,” she said. “We tried bringing stuff down on occasion, but it just wasn’t meeting the need.”

Then, the organization had the opportunity to work with U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who Lackey said had a big passion for serving Albany. The senator supported funding to help Helping Mamas open its doors in Albany.

Lackey said much of south Georgia has been under-resourced when it came to meeting these needs.

“A lot of towns and cities in parts of south Georgia just aren’t getting the same attention … so they are getting more stressed for services and support,” she said. “We see that; so we wanted to put a spotlight on that and make sure we were here.”

Helping Mamas brought on Patrice Williams, a 22-year Albany veteran, to serve as the director of engagement. Along with 12 years of experience building a network of resources for Albany veterans, Williams said the service hits home.

“Being a mother, I understand the need,” she said. “I have been in a position where I struggled to afford those essential items. Being in a position now where I can give back and help moms and families, it feels good to do that.”

Williams said Helping Mamas harnesses and serves the community through its agency partnerships.

“It’s all about resourcing the resources; that way we are helping to elevate their mission by providing what we have,” she said.

Williams said the biggest thing is that when people donate to Helping Mamas, it’s not just servicing the organization but it’s serving the community as a whole.

“You can see and feel that,” she said. “It’s exciting to be a part of an organization where you don’t just hear about it but you see it and experience it. You’re assisting in addressing a major need.”

Helping Mamas Albany will primarily serve Dougherty County but will also reach other parts of south Georgia through its agency partners. Williams said they hope to expand their services even more in the future.

Those who are interested in partnering, donating, volunteering or are in need of services can visit https://helpingmamas.org/albany/.

Staff Photo: Lucille lannigan