CINCINNATI (WXIX) - A Tri-State CEO is using her motherly experiences to help moms make sure they have the essentials, like diapers, for their babies.

Megan Fischer is the CEO of Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank which started about seven years ago when she was pregnant with her second child.

Fischer says she felt she had to do something when she saw other mothers struggling to provide clean diapers for their babies.

“I was cloth diapering my son at the time trying to save money and clicked on a random article about a cloth diaper bank out in the Ozarks,” Fischer recalled. “I didn’t know what a diaper bank would be. So, I just thought, oh, this is going to show me how to save money, even more, money cloth diapering and some tips and tricks.”

She quickly learned that Cincinnati did not have a diaper bank where mothers in need of diapers can pick some up free of charge.

“While I was a newer mom, I had no idea diapers weren’t covered by government assistance,” explained Fischer. “So, you have to have cash to go to a store and buy them. And if you don’t have cash, you have to make decisions like leave your baby in a diaper for two days, or reused disposable diapers, which leads to infections and developmental delays.”

Fischer says moms will spend around $120/month for a pack of pampers.

With that knowledge, she decided to open up Cincinnati’s first diaper bank, which started in her basement.

Over the years as her passion project grew, Fischer stepped away from her publishing job to take on Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank full-time. Her business recently expanded in this new facility in Price Hill.

Fischer says over the past seven years, she’s had many proud moments, but the best is when she meets other mothers she’s helped along the way.

Including a mother who recently volunteered after relying on the Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank herself.

“She’s taking care of her baby,” said Fischer. “She has an apartment. She had beat her drug addiction and it’s incredible to hear that something a simple as a clean diaper that we’re able to provide due to the amazing support of this community helped make that transformation happen.”

Fischer says Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank distributed roughly 5,000 diapers a month when it first opened.

Today, she estimates they distribute 175,000 to 200,000 diapers a month.

Fischer hopes Sweet Cheeks will continue to grow meeting more of the community’s needs.

If you are interested in volunteering or making a donation you can do that by visiting their website.

Breaking Through Series

This story is part of a weekly segment called Breaking Through.

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