Our Provider Partners Part III
Collaboration is key in ending the basic needs gap
A Deeper Dive into WestSide Baby’s Provider Partner Programs
Read Part II of our Provider Partner Series
In order to ensure WestSide Baby is moving toward our vision, we collect and analyze data on a biannual basis. As Part III and the final part of our Provider Partners Series, we wanted to share some of the data and information we learned in our data collection process in 2020 and in early 2021.
Who are our providers?
In 2020, we partnered with 83 agencies, 95 programs, and 115 unique sites around King County. Here is the breakdown by Program/Agency focus:
How do we ensure our partnerships are equity-focused towards our vision of ending the basic needs gap?
Across King County, 21% of children experience diaper need. WestSide Baby is committed to meeting families facing disproportionate diaper need gaps through our partnerships.
In South King County, a child is 9% more likely to experience diaper need
Southwest Youth and Family Services (SWYFS) provides critical services to under-resourced communities of Southwest King County. As systemic racial and economic inequities continue to create significant barriers to communities of color across the nation, SWYFS remains committed to seeing our diverse community of South King County thrive.
Black children are 15% more likely to experience diaper need
The Joel E. Smilow Clubhouse @ Rainier is a Boys and Girls Club program aiming to inspire & enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, responsible, and caring citizens.
Somali speaking families are 35% more likely to experience diaper need
East African Community Services (EACS) was founded in 2001 to improve the wellbeing of East African immigrant and refugee families in King County. Their mission is to inspire East African immigrant and refugee families to achieve cradle to career success through their Sheeko Sheeko Home Visiting Program.
How does our program support our providers and their clients?
Each January, we survey our 400+ individual partners to learn more about their work, their clients, and how we can and do work together towards ending the basic needs gap.
Survey respondents report that WestSide Baby’s services provide tremendous support to both their programming and to the overall wellbeing of the families they serve.
Respondents are also overwhelmingly positive about their experience with WestSide Baby’s program and distribution:
What was/is COVID’s influence on basic needs and social services?
In 2020, more families accessed public service support systems for the first time, leading to an increased demand for basic needs, such as diapers and wipes. We asked our providers about COVID-19 specific needs their families were experiencing and the impact on their work.
“WestSide Baby continues to be a beacon of light for our families who are often in desperate need for basic essentials for their babies and toddlers. Thank you for the hard work and commitment of your staff particularly during this Pandemic Period!”
-Housing Program Maanger
90% of respondents said they saw an increased need for basic items from their clients and 60% of respondents said they heard from their clients more in 2020 than in 2019 due to the pandemic.
“2020 seemed to have seen more infant births earlier in the year. The parents of these babies need help. They had not planned for the kind of disruption by the pandemic; and overall, their household expenses have gone up”
-Birth Doula
How will we proceed?
WestSide Baby will continue to work with our existing partnerships and new partners who align with our vision and values in order to decrease the disparities in the basic needs gap in King County.
This is the final part of our Partner Provider Series. You can read Part I and Part II on the WestSide Baby Blog.