Being Inspired to Change Lives
During his keynote address at the 2014 Helping Kids Thrive luncheon, Dr. Ben de Haan asked the audience, “Why are there not more organizations like Eastside Baby Corner? There should be one in every community!”
Struck by his recognition of the critical role of EBC in the community’s safety net and the need for EBC services in other areas, luncheon guests Barbara Bandoli and Bob Maynard, both Gig Harbor residents, took his words to heart. The two of them encouraged Beverly Kincaid, who lives in Bremerton, to go to an EBC Holiday Open House the month after the luncheon. Beverly caught the fever and the three of them decided to start a new “baby corner” in West Sound. After doing extensive research into the needs of potential partners and into prospective resources, work is now underway to form a branch of EBC, adapted to the unique character of the West Sound region.
In the past, EBC has freely shared our knowledge with other nonprofits, nearby and across the country; over the years, ten organizations learned from us, modeling their operations on EBC. Beverly, Barbara and Bob recognized the most efficient way to duplicate what EBC does is to be EBC. Instead of creating another nonprofit, we are establishing a branch of EBC, sharing our values, culture and business model. The response from our neighbors across the Sound has been overwhelming: social service organizations and schools are thrilled with the possibility of being able to get the clothes, diapers, and formula needed for families in their programs. The new branch will carry forth the mission of giving kids the basics they need not to just survive but to thrive.
