**Post by The Eco Chic

Grab your camera!

It’s time for the 2nd annual Real Diaper Association (RDA) 100% Reusable Cloth Diaper Photo Contest! Today (10/19/10) is the first day you can submit a picture to the contest. Anyone can enter the contest – all you need is a child in cloth diapers and a camera. Entries will be collected from now until November 3rd and there is a special treat for the 12 best photos that are submitted.

All submissions will have a chance to win. Any active RDA member as of November 5th, 2010 has the opportunity to vote on the best 12 pictures. (To become a member of the RDA follow this link to the contest rules and click Make a Donation on the right – membership is only $25 per family for the year.) But never fear – you don’t have to be a member of the RDA to submit your photo to the contest!

What happens to the best 12 photos? They will be used to create the 2011 RDA Cloth Diaper Calendar! And the picture with the highest number of votes will become the Cover Model – and win a Flip UltraHD 2nd generation video camera OR $150 Gift Certificate to my favorite diaper retailer – Kelly’s Closet! Tough decision on which prize I’ll choose when I win – think I may pick the gift certificate for more cloth diapers!!! Which prize would you pick if you beat me in the photo contest? Two runners up will also win great prizes from Metro Minis and Sub Tree Hugger – and all 12 finalists will get a copy of the 2011 RDA Calendar!

Hmmm….now which diaper should I choose and where should my setting be? The beach maybe? A park? In the pool? A holiday inspired picture? Oh the choices are endless!

Want to learn more? Want to win even MORE great prizes? Join the RDA along with Eco Chic Parties for a Kick Off Twitter Party – TONIGHT! Tuesday, October 19th from 9-10pm ET on Twitter (of course!). We’ll be answering all your questions about how to enter and going over some of the rules with you. We have some special guests joining us with lots of fun prizes including:

Nifty Nappy: giving away a combination of NINE cloth diapers of assorted styles and prints! Fitteds, pockets, swim diapers, and more!

The Willow Store: giving away TWO starter kits featuring their Super Saver shells and inserts.

Growin Green Bums: giving one lucky family a year membership to the RDA – so they can vote for their baby!

To RSVP for the #REALFlashyBums Twitter Partybe sure to visit Eco Chic Parties NOW and enter! The party starts at 9pm ET but I hear that Eco Chic Sidekick is offering up some pre-party training starting at 8pm ET for anyone who is new to Twitter! That’s TWO hours of party fun! What are you waiting for? Go enter – and don’t forget to bring your camera!

2 Rumparooz One Size Cloth Diapers!!

Your choice of colors and closures!! In order to be entered into this giveaway, you must do one option below (remember every option is tax-deductible):

1.  Donate $15.00 (Leave a comment, 2 entries)

2.  Donate $35.00 (Leave a comment, 3 entries)

3.  Donate $100.00 (Leave a comment, 5 entries)

4.  Donate any amount (Leave a comment, 1 entry)

5. Become a member of the RDA, yearly membership is $25.00  www.realdiaperassociation.org/directory/signup.php (Leave a comment, 5 entries)

Giveaway ends August 11th at 11:59 EST! At the end of the Contest I will randomly pick winner with the help from random.org. I will contact the winner and ask for receipt or confirmation of donation before prize is handed out! Thank You.

Are you a memeber of the Real Diaper Associtation (RDA)? Do you know what/who RDA is all about? The RDA is a non-profit organization on a quest to change “diapers”, literally one baby at a time! Right now RDA is trying to raise $3500 by August 11! Please help us by making a donation or even better, become a member! The money will help RDA advocate to get more babies in cloth!

FROM RDA:

We come here to you with a request. RDA continues to play a leading role in the cloth diaper movement, training and supporting grassroots advocates to lead local Real Diaper Circles, compiling and distributing research on the subject, working with the media and other businesses and organizations to increase awareness about cloth diapers, and providing direct reliable, unbiased support for consumers. We do all of this with the support of our member donors. If you haven’t contributed to our efforts before, please join us as a member today-annual individual membership is still only $25. Your donation is tax-deductible, and membership ensures that you’ll be kept up-to-date with our work via our quarterly print newsletter. www.realdiaperassociation.org/directory/signup.php

Because we’ve had the good luck to employ an Executive Director over the past year, we’ve been able to accomplish a lot recently . Explore the archives of our blog atwww.realdiaperevents.org for stories about some of most recent accomplishments, such as:

• the launch of a cloth-diaper-friendly daycare directory and publication of a tip sheet on using cloth diapers in daycare ,
• a blog carnival focused on Real Diaper Facts that highlighted some of the most useful research out there on the benefits of cloth diapers, and
• the ongoing 100% reusable cloth diapers campaign to support people and choosing and using real diapers in any situation.

Additionally, there are 15 active Real Diaper Circles and nearly 100 volunteers in training to become Leaders across the U.S. and Canada.

We are convinced that we made the right decision in hiring our Executive Director, and have plans for how to accomplish more in the coming year. In order to do so, we need to continue to fund the Executive Director position and ensure that we have someone in place to push all our efforts forward.

This is the time for cloth diapers for a number of great reasons. You have been supportive in individual advocacy, spreading the message time and again to your friends and acquaintances. Join together with us now and take a larger role in the overall cloth diaper movement. Become a member of the Real Diaper Association today atwww.realdiaperassociation.org/directory/signup.php .

If you can’t become a member, would you please consider giving just a little to help our efforts? We need to raise $3500 in 35 days before our 6th Anniversary on August 11, 2010! We’re confident we can do it. Please help, then spread the word to the other cloth diaperers you know. These contributions, like membership donations, are tax-deductible.

Thank you for all you do on behalf of cloth diapers.

It is called “Cloth for the Coast” started by the creator and manufacturer of FuzziBunz, Tereson Dupuy. She is located in New Orleans and reaching out to all the families in the cloth diaper community to help! About two weeks ago she made the connection that microfiber inserts could aid in wildlife clean up, how exciting is this? Cloth for the Coast is accepting donations of old cloth diapers (prefolds or contours w/o snaps) and any type of diaper inserts – as well as baby blankets, receiving blankets, burp cloths and other cloth items that could be used to clean up our increasingly damaged wildlife.

I also would like to ask for local North West Florida families to bring their donations by our office, 2709 Gulf Breeze Pkwy Gulf Breeze, FL on July 10 from 10-2. I will also set up a “donation station” so you can drop them off in case we are not there, local donations can help our local relief efforts like Destin Wildlife Refuge.

Please “like” them on Face Book to keep up with their relief efforts!

If you are not local, please send donations to:

FuzziBunz Diapers

Attn: CFC

315 Weeks St

New Iberia, LA 70560

So if you have wondering how you can help, the time is NOW!!!!!! We CAN make a difference!

Miracle Diapers Is Now The Cloth Diaper Foundation

empowering families, improving the environment

As Miracle Diapers has grown so has the number of families they assist. In 2009, they helped over 450 babies directly, more than 100 babies through sponsorship and local distribution, and assisted other charities with the same mission as well!

To better serve those families Miracle Diapers reaccessed it’s structure and practices. They have:

• New leadership with Roxanna Jolly—CEO and Lisa Johnston—Operations Manager and Board Chair

• Relocated their headquarters to Katy, Texas

• Restructured  how they process and accept applications

• Opened a retail store for fundraising

• Founded a new membership program

• Welcomed several new board members from the cloth diapering industry

In it’s fifth year Miracle Diapers wants to continue moving forward and has decided to take on a new name that better describes the organization and it’s mission.

Miracle Diapers is now The Cloth Diaper Foundation.

“We felt that a more appropriate name would help the community have a better understanding of who we are, as we have often been mistaken for a diaper manufacturer. Our desire to move forward and build a  legacy of support for the cloth diapering community will be reflected in our new name: The Cloth Diaper Foundation.”

-Roxanna Jolly, CEO, The Cloth Diaper Foundation

Monetary donations fell last year do to the economy. Which means there are more families out there for The Cloth Diaper Foundation to help! While diaper donations are always appreciated, we must be able to financially support organizational growth.

To assist in fund raising efforts, in the month of February, Tracy Whittemore and Lisa Adkins from The Cloth Diaper Company have so graciously offered to match, product for product, each Cloth Diaper Company product sold (Drybees, Wahmies, Rocky Mountain Diapers) in The Cloth Diaper Foundation Retail Store with an equal donation to our organization.  (Example – Purchase a Rocky Mountain Diapers OS Pocket, CDC will donate our organization a RMD OS Pocket, Drybees for Drybees, etc.)

Let’s make this happen together and spread the CD love.  Visit http://clothdiaperfoundation.org today to find out how you can help!

The Real Diaper Association is a wonderful non-profit organization focusing on education and support for cloth diapering families across the United States. Recently they have implemented a great campaign for cloth diaper use in daycares. They teamed together with the Real Diaper Industry Association to create “Cloth Diapers in Daycare“.  After a year of planning and surveys, they created a cloth diaper friendly daycare directory and materials to distribute to educate daycares about cloth diapers! What a great organization!!!! RDA’s new campaign is “100% Cloth Diapers Every Time”. This is a brand new campaign and you can learn more here: htttp://www.realdiaperevents.org  I support 100% reusable cloth diapers for all babies! The first focus of this campaign is using cloth diapers all night with your baby! You can participate in the campaign by sharing your insights on what works for you during nighttime diapering!

Thank you again for all your support during this time! I hope you will be able to join us at our first meeting!!!

Miracle Diapers is a wonderful cloth diaper charity. They are a non-profit organization dedicated to helping qualifying families across the United States to get babies in cloth! If you would like to learn more about them click here! They have also set up new age/size/shipping/replacement guildelines.  To apply, you must follow a few steps and be less than 2 months away from your due date with the only child in need of cloth diapers. If you have an older child in cloth diapers, you are still able to apply! Your child also must be under 36 months and 35 pounds.

1. Make a Reservation

2. Complete Application (only will receive your application once reservation is made)

3. Initial Application Screening

4. Required Documentation

5. eAgreement and Fee (shipping to you and from you)

If you are not in need on any cloth diapers, there are also other ways to support Miracle Diapers, Inc. You can donate your used diapers, must be in usuable condition. If you have diapers, but are not sure if Miracle Diapers will accept, check here for a list of items they do and do not accept! Another way you can support Miracle Diapers is by becoming a member, they offer business and family memberships! Because Miracle Diapers, Inc. is a 501 (c) (3) non profit charitable organization, if you choose you can receipt for tax purposes! I hope you will join and contribute to a great cause!!

For those families that do sign up for a membership, Growing Green Bums will offer special discounts! Please contact us for details! We are also proud to help Miracle Diapers in a “local” way! Growing Green Bums will be a donation center for Northwest Florida. GGB will accept used cloth diaper donations by appointment! If you have any used diapers laying around, please contact us!!

Thank You