Our Roots: Happy Baby Basics

In 2020, April Bekkala founded Happy Baby Basics, inspired by her own experiences as a mom and her desire to make life a little easier for families in her community.

She recognized the financial strain that buying diapers can place on families and how this basic necessity can quickly become an overwhelming expense for those already doing their best to get by.
 

When April discovered that federal assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, she knew something had to change. After researching local resources, she found that Gogebic County had no existing diaper bank, despite its high rates of poverty. Determined to make a difference, she founded Happy Baby Basics, the county’s first diaper bank, to help families keep their babies clean, dry, and healthy.

 

Growing Beyond just Diapers (2022)

As the need for hygiene essentials became increasingly visible, the organization expanded its mission in 2022 to serve the broader community by providing personal care and household essentials for adults as well as children. We believe that access to hygiene products is a basic right and a universal human need; a cornerstone of health and dignity.
In addition to diapers for little ones, we now help stock community partners with items such as:

Period products, soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes.

These additions allow us to support the dignity, comfort, and health of individuals and families throughout Gogebic County.

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Our New Name: Community Supply Closet (2025)

In 2025, we officially changed our name from Happy Baby Basics to Community Supply Closet. A reflection of how our mission has grown. Our new name better represents who we are today: a community-driven resource that supplies trusted local organizations with the essentials they need to support the people they serve.

We continue to work through our partner agencies, such as schools, libraries, health organizations, and community nonprofits to distribute diapers, hygiene and basic household supplies where they’re needed most.

We do not distribute items directly to individuals. Instead, we collaborate with trusted community organizations to reach as many people as possible 
 

Our supplies come from generous donations, community drives, and financial contributions. With your support, we’re helping relieve the burden of basic needs. One family, one person, and one act of kindness at a time.

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If you'd like to help those in need and host a supply drive you can learn more here.