Carrie Pierce was a new mom. She and her husband were first time parents struggling with the stress of bringing their daughter home. Like all new parents, she was feeling overwhelmed. After hearing news coverage about the economy preventing parents from being able to afford the most basic essentials for their children — such as diapers — Carrie was inspired to take action to support parents in her own Seattle community.

As her daughter neared her first birthday, Carrie and her associate at her real estate firm reached out to Children's Home Society of Washington. They decided to organizing a diaper drive for the North Seattle Family Center, a community hub that supports children and families in Lake City and the surrounding communities. After an initial meeting, the details were worked out and the "2010 Diaper Drive" was born.

"We chose Children's Home Society because of the emphasis they place not just on supporting children but also on building strong families," states Carrie. "Building family foundations is really what's going to help children in the long run."

There were no expectations about the success of the drive. The collection of even a small amount of diapers would go a long way at supporting parents in need. Carrie reached out to her network of other new moms, set-up booths at farmer's markets collecting donations, and advertised on Facebook. As the word of mouth spread, donations increased. By the end of September, Carrie had amassed over 7,000 diapers.

"Every day you can hear a sign of relief from parents when they find out we have diapers to give them for free," states Ann Fuller, Program Manager for the North Seattle Family Center.

Carrie continues to support Children's Home Society of Washington by donating 10% of her commission on any sale recommended through the agency. As a member of CHSW's Corporate Partners for Kids Program, helping kids has become a fundamental part of her business.

For more information on Carrie Pierce and Associates, visit www.realtorcarriepierce.com.