Q: What do you do?
A: We are a family, parent, and caregiver support organization. We provide material, educational, and emotional support services. All of our services are provided at no cost.
We have several service offerings:
Material Support:
We provide emergency/crisis supplies of:
- Diapers & Pull-Ups
- Wipes and infant hygiene items
- Formula
We provide at-home tests & harm reduction supplies:
- Pregnancy tests
- COVID-19 tests
- Condoms & Plan B/emergency contraception
- Naloxone (NARCAN)
We can also assist with:
- Pregnancy & postpartum comfort items
- Breastfeeding supplies
- Infant feeding items
- Infant & maternity clothes
For families who meet certain income/program requirements:
- Safe sleep equipment
- Car and booster seats
Education Support:
- Lactation consultation
- Early childhood and parenting education
- Classes
- Birth Education
- Cooking Skills
- Prenatal Yoga
- Trauma-Informed Care Consultation for community, professional, and health care organziations
- Referrals to healthcare and social service agencies
Emotional Support:
- Peer-led breastfeeding groups
- Social opportunities for families
- Quarterly “Caregivers Connect” social group
- Monthly yoga classes
- Online community forums for local caregivers
Q: Are you a crisis pregnancy center?
A: No! The Little Resource Center Carbondale is not a crisis pregnancy center. We are a nonreligious and nonpolitical organization commited to providing a wide-spectrum of evidence-based support to families and parents.
Above all, our focus is on offering comprehensive resources, education, and guidence to help individuals make informed decisions and navigate the challenges and joys of parenting.
We believe that parents and families are their own best experts and deserve transparency in the services available to them.
We are open to working with religious and non-secular agencies whose mission may differ from ours! We believe serving families is the most important goal -- however -- TLRC has no faith-based or politically-influenced governance.
Q: How often can I access free diapers and formula?
A: Parents and caregivers, or their proxies, can receive material assistance once per month.
We offer 3 days’ worth of diapers or pullups, per child. We base this number off a national average set by the National Diaper Bank Network.
Formula is limited to what we have on hand. We try to keep a wide variety on hand but are sometimes limited in what we are able to offer. If we do not have what you are currently using to feed your infant, we will try to provide the next closest option, including generics.
Q: Why do you only hand out small amounts of diapers and formula?
A: Our material assistance services are intended for crisis/emergency situations only. We know that a few days’ worth of diapers or formula can make or break a family’s monthly budget, which is why we offer this service to the community, but we do not have the resources to meet all the needs of a single family.
We offer 3 days’ worth of diapers or pullups, per child. We base this number off a national average set by the National Diaper Bank Network.
Formula is limited to what we have on hand. We try to keep a wide variety on hand but are sometimes limited in what we are able to offer. If we do not have what you are currently using to feed your infant, we will try to provide the next closest option, including generics.
Q: Do you deliver?
A: We wish we could! However, at this time delivery is not an option except in extreme situations referred to us from other agencies.
Q: I need a car seat, can you help me with that?
A: We know how critical car seat access is to the community. We maintain a car seat fund in order to provide car seats to low-income families with no other means of accessing one appropriate for their child’s age, weight, and height.
Families or individuals are able to come in to the office and apply for one. We ask that you bring proof of eligibility for one of the following programs:
- LINK/SNAP (Food Stamps)
- WIC
- SSI/SSDI (Disability)
- Medicaid*
*Medicaid families MUST NOT qualify for any car seat programs offered through their managed care plan. Our team can provide you with information on the program that your plan offers.
Agency partners can reach out to us at info@littleresourcecarbondale.org to apply on behalf of a client or patient.
Car seat assistance is subject to availability of funds and /or supplies.
Q: I am needing other items for infant care, can you help me?
A: We keep a limited amount of infant care, postpartum care, and maternity items on hand at our office. Families are welcome to come into the office to make a request. We always try to help!
In some circumstances, we are able to obtain items that we don’t have on hand or do a direct referral with an agency partner who can help. This is determined on a case-by-case basis.
Check out our monthly ‘Free Sales’ where we open up our inventory to the community at no charge! (April-October)
Q: Do you help with rent or utility bills?
A: No. We wish we could, but we are not funded to provide that service. We do try to stay on top of the organizations in the region who can help with these expenses and will either do a referral or provide current information on the program or organization.