The towering mountain of Huggies, Pampers, and Blueys represented the culmination of 12-year-old Sloan’s fifth annual "Diaper Drive"—an ambitious community charity effort she has been organizing year after year since she was just seven years old. For this milestone fifth year, Sloan had set what many considered a lofty yet admirable target: collecting 22,500 disposable diapers to donate to families in need.
However, the community response quickly blew past even her highest expectations. Donations kept pouring in from local residents, families, and businesses in such staggering quantities that they eventually took over Sloan’s family home. Boxes and packages piled up so high throughout the house that there was hardly any room left to safely walk around or navigate from room to room.
By the time the dust settled and the final tallies were counted at the close of August, Sloan had successfully collected a jaw-dropping 30,000 disposable diapers. The entire bounty was loaded up into a rented U-Haul truck and transported directly to Nourish Phoenix, a vital neighborhood resource and food bank located at 510 on 9th Avenue.
The choice of recipient was deeply personal for the young philanthropist. It was at this very same Nourish Phoenix facility that Sloan had volunteered years earlier as a young child, laying the foundational empathy that would inspire her lifelong commitment to community service.
While she was busy stocking food parcels and organizing donations during those early volunteer shifts, a young Sloan noticed something unusual. She spotted an entire section of the shelves at the Nourish Phoenix facility that sat completely bare, untouched by the usual rotation of emergency supplies. Curious about the empty space, she asked a staff member why those particular shelves were left empty while the rest of the pantry was bustling with activity.
The answer she received left a lasting impression on her young mind. She was told that the empty space was specifically designated for diapers—an essential parenting supply that consistently ranked among the most requested and critically needed items by families visiting the bank. The staff explained that diapers were so perpetually high in demand that the facility routinely ran out of them almost as soon as they arrived, leaving vulnerable parents scrambling to find ways to keep their babies clean, healthy, and dry.
That brief conversation planted a seed. Instead of walking away and forgetting about the gap in the shelves, a seven-year-old Sloan decided to take matters into her own hands. What started as a small, neighborhood-focused collection effort half a decade ago has since blossomed into a massive annual tradition, growing larger and more impactful with each passing year.
Reflecting on her motivations and the simple philosophy that drives her relentless community work, Sloan shared her perspective in an interview with local news station ABC 15 as her fifth annual diaper drive officially concluded at the end of August.
"If we have the ability to give someone something that they might not have or need, it’s really important to do that," Sloan said.
Her remarkable dedication has not only transformed the operations at Nourish Phoenix during times of critical shortage, but it has also deeply moved her family and the broader community watching her journey unfold.
"My little girl: she’s just so special, she has such a big heart, loves helping and giving back," said Sloan’s proud mother, reflecting on the unwavering commitment and compassion her daughter demonstrates year after year.
The extraordinary scale of the 30,000-diaper donation ensures that Nourish Phoenix will be well-equipped to support local families for the foreseeable future, helping alleviate a major financial and logistical burden for parents who struggle to afford basic necessities. As Sloan looks ahead following the triumphant conclusion of her fifth annual drive, her story continues to inspire people of all ages to look for the gaps in their own communities and find meaningful ways to fill them.
