RIPLEY, W.Va. (WCHS) — There is a lot of good work happening at the Ripley Church of the Nazarene. It is the site of the state's only baby pantry affiliated with the National Diaper Network.

Danielle Powell is in charge of the donation site, and accomplishes all the work with a team of nearly a dozen volunteers.

This diaper bank serves clients in Jackson, Roane and northern Kanawha County.

The baby pantry officially opened in this location in 2015 and then became the pantry affiliated with the National Diaper Network in 2018.

Diapers are an expense that some families struggle to meet. Since the pandemic, Powell said she has seen an increase in the number of families who need help with providing diapers to their babies.

She said the need can arise for anyone, including working families who just may need a little helping hand to bridge the gap for a short time.

"A lot of our families I've noticed don't have the support system. Their parents or grandparents are not in this area, or they (the grandparents) just don't have the means to support their children and grandchildren," she said. "They are on Social Security or disability. It's just tight for everybody."

Inside the church, there are a couple of storage rooms -- much bigger areas than the small blue shelf they started out with years ago.

Now, their stock has expanded to include most sizes of diapers. They even have formula, and other baby necessities like wipes.

Powell said some of the families they have helped over the years have even come back to help either by donating items or volunteering with the baby pantry.

"I think it gives them a sense of ownership and knowing we can, in turn, help the next family, and so on," Powell said.

The Ripley Nazarene Mission Baby Pantry operates on the first and third Thursday's of the month from 5-7 p.m. Powell said most people have heard about them through word of mouth or on Facebook.

Families in need can come through the drive-thru to receive diapers and wipes when the pantry is open. No appointment is necessary.