Thousands of diapers, baby wipes stolen from Austin nonprofit
Austin nonprofit WorkingGroup512 is seeking community assistance after thousands of diapers, baby wipes and other maternal items were stolen from their east Austin office early Monday.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin nonprofit WorkingGroup512 is seeking community assistance after thousands of diapers, baby wipes and other maternal items were stolen from their east Austin office early Monday.
Chivas Watson, executive director of WG512, told KXAN security footage from the office complex captured two individuals entering the building around 1 a.m. Monday morning. By the time Watson came into the building around 8 a.m., his office — the room where he typically stores baby items — was completely empty.
"I walk into the office, my particular office, and everything is gone," he said. "I close the door and I'm like 'I'm tripping.'"
Watson said more than 4,000 diapers, 2,500 wipes and an envelope with 30 31-day transit passes were gone, while items like laptops and other electronic equipment went untouched. Cribs, pack-and-plays, some women's clothing, bottles and nipples were also stolen.
The theft happened just days before WorkingGroup512 was scheduled to deliver resources to their Maternal Mental Health Initiative cohort, which assists 12 moms who are either expecting a baby or have recently had a child and are in the postpartum phase.
"Our cohort Mom, Nadege, just had twin boys last Sunday and we planned to throw her a little post-pregnancy gift give, since she's our most-in-need Mom and below the poverty line by way more than 250%," Watson said in an email. "This negatively impacts dozens of our Mom contacts who are either currently pregnant or have recently given birth."
Alongside its cohort moms, WG512 assists 375 moms in Austin-Travis County, with 600 maternal contacts statewide.
"We do our best to make sure that moms know that they have an organizational friend, that they don't have to pay to join," he said.
Those interested in donating can send funds to WG512's Venmo at @WG512-Main, or over PayPal and CashApp at @UnitedConsulting512.