Babies and young children need a lot to care for them, from bottles and diapers to strollers and toys. The collective costs of all these items make a big impact on a new family's budget. Thankfully, our new member is here to support new families. Little Bottoms Free Store is committed to fostering a safe, nurturing environment while providing essential baby supplies to disadvantaged families in Franklin County, Ohio, with children aged three and under. Through their dedicated efforts, they aim to ease the challenges faced by these families and ensure that every child has access to the basic necessities needed for a healthy start in life.
We chatted with Little Bottoms Free Store to learn more about their work, recent achievements, and challenges. Here’s what they shared about their mission, impact, and role within the community:
1. Every organization has its unique identity. What sets your organization or program apart from others working in a similar space?
LBFS has become the largest freestore of its kind available to babies and toddlers in Columbus. We provide consistent shopping hours and quality diapers, wipes, clothing, formula, and baby supplies to some of Columbus’ most under-resourced families. Many families struggle to locate the variety and type of resources LBFS provides, which makes us one of the most trusted referral agencies for baby and toddler items in Franklin County. We serve diverse, low-income families all over the city of Columbus.
Little Bottoms strives to create a dignifying and nurturing environment for every family who walks through our doors. We are most proud of the reputation we have in the community for truly caring about the families we serve. We provide a kids playspace for children to play while their parents access resources, helping to give moms and dads a little break. Each family is supported with a personal shopper who helps carry bags, haul items to cars, and rock their babies when they need their hands free. We are proud of the resources and environment we are cultivating for pregnant moms, families, and babies.
2. Reflecting on recent achievements, what has been your biggest success as an organization in the past year?
Over the past two years, we have added two staff members, an Executive Director and an Assistant Programming Manager, to oversee our daily work. We have also secured over 1MM in funding in partnership with the Franklinton Development Association to acquire and rehab our current property and remain a presence in Franklinton where infant mortality rates persist at alarming rates. But our biggest achievement is the difference we make for the families we serve. Here are some examples of recent comments we’ve received from them:
“Thank you so much for the great place to help me feel better when I don’t have money to buy my kids things that they needed, from my twins to now my new baby. Thank you.”
“Little Bottoms has made such an impact on my family. I am a single mother of two girls that is new to the community. They have helped me by gaining useful resources that help bridge the gap between financial hardships and my children’s needs. This program is essential for the community and I appreciate everything you do.”
“My husband was laid off just a few weeks after our daughter was born and he has been applying for jobs nonstop while working odd jobs up until last week. Little Bottoms has helped us get what we need to take care of our baby with diapers, wipes, clothes, and big items. We couldn't have done it without Little Bottoms and their amazing staff!”
3. Turning to challenges, what is the most pressing issue your community or clients are currently facing in the coming year?
The neighborhood of Franklinton, where LBFS is located, has a high risk of sleep-related infant deaths as well as the second highest rate of infant mortality (16.6 deaths per 1000 births compared to the national rate of 5.6 deaths per 1,000 live births). LBFS seeks to address the social determinants of health and well-being that impact families living in the most at-risk neighborhoods in Columbus. By connecting vulnerable families to community resources, benefits, and safe sleep education and supplies, we can make a difference for Ohio’s most vulnerable babies. On average, we serve 112 of these infants and children each week.
4. Community involvement is key. How can people who are inspired by your work get involved with your organization?
There are many ways to get involved at Little Bottoms Free Store!
- Volunteer – we have shifts available on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings for sorting donations and preparing our free store, as well as opportunities to serve on Thursday evenings while the free store is open to families in need.
- Material Donations – we accept gently used and new baby supplies, toys, and clothing on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.
- Host a Drive – you can host a drive at your workplace, church, or community group to help us gather the items we need to distribute to the families we serve.
- Give – make a donation to support our work!
More information on all of these opportunities is available at www.littlebottoms.org or by emailing info@littlebottoms.org.
5. Collaboration is often essential in creating impact. Who are some of your favorite partners or collaborators in the community, and how do you work together?
Since our founding, we have partnered with many community initiatives to confront infant mortality including CelebrateOne, Mt. Carmel Health, Moms2B, OhioHealth, Planned Parenthood, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Columbus Diaper Bank, and more.
LBFS serves as a verified Columbus Public Health Cribs for Kids Distributor, enabling any pregnant WIC-eligible mother to qualify for a free crib in exchange for completion of safe-sleep training. Every new family accessing the free store is provided with a list of supportive Columbus resources for moms and babies.
LBFS also partners with Nationwide Children’s Hospital to host a monthly Walk with a Doc program for pregnant and postpartum families. This program will allow pregnant families and families with young children and babies to get out of the house regularly and bring their children on a walk/stroller ride at a local park (along with local doctors and Little Bottoms staff/volunteers), providing an opportunity for socializing with other families, building community, and supporting health while asking a doctor medical questions.
6. Becoming part of this network brings you to a new community and potential collaborations. Why did you decide to join Community Shares of Mid Ohio?
It takes a community-wide effort to address the root causes of elevated infant mortality rates in our neighborhood. The more we can partner together, the better. Families are relying upon us to provide spaces that empower them to thrive. That’s what we want to be a part of at Little Bottoms Free Store, and the opportunity to spread that message to a wider community is always welcomed!
7. The heart of Community Shares’ work is to create a more just, caring and healthy Community for all, how does your organization contribute to this vision?
Little Bottoms Free Store has been serving the most vulnerable members of our community since 2019, providing essential baby supplies to disadvantaged Columbus families. Your mission to connect local nonprofits with workplace giving campaigns will fuel our ability to confront the social determinants of health that disproportionately affect our families and result in health inequities and impacting family well-being. By partnering together, we can help Central Ohio families thrive.
8. Let’s end with something surprising. What’s an interesting fact or statistic about your organization that most people might not know?
The families we serve are some of our most generous supporters, donating back the clothing and supplies they use when their children outgrow them and giving of their time to help interpret for other non-English speaking families. On Thursdays, while serving families, we often receive several trashbags full of clothing that families are donating back. Our families are a constant reminder that we all have something to give, and something we need. If we all give what we can, we will all have what we need.
Little Bottoms Free Store is more than a resource—it’s a community built on generosity, dignity, and support. By addressing critical needs and fostering connections, they help families navigate the challenges of early parenthood with confidence. As they continue to expand their impact through partnerships and community engagement, their work remains a testament to the power of collective action. Whether through volunteering, donations, or advocacy, there are many ways to be part of their mission to ensure every child has the essentials for a strong start in life.
