By Hunter Carter
The University of Alabama at Birmingham National Alumni Society has recognized UAB School of Nursing alumna Lindsay Gray, BSN, RN, for her role in assisting families in need through Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank. As executive director of Bundles of Hope, Gray was recognized as part of the National Alumni Society’s Annual Excellence in Business Top 25.
“It is certainly a tremendous honor to be recognized, but what I think is more exciting is Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank having some spotlight,” said Gray. “All it takes is someone not knowing there is a diaper bank in Birmingham and then seeing this for a life to be positively impacted. That is huge.”
Gray, who earned her bachelor’s of science in nursing from the School in 2006, helped start Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank after a group from Mountain Chapel United Methodist Church recognized the growing need for diapers for thousands of families around the Birmingham area.
“One in three families struggle to afford diapers and basic need items that are not covered by governmental assistant programs,” said Gray. “We hosted our first Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank drive in October of 2014 and collected over 3,500 diapers and gave away 2,300 of those diapers shortly after to families in need.”
As of March 2021, Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank has distributed more than 2.7 million diapers and currently distributes around 75,000 diapers a month with the help of partnering organizations.
Before becoming Executive Director of Bundles of Hope Diaper Bank, Gray was a labor and delivery nurse at St. Vincent’s Birmingham where she cared for patients during labor and birth and provided the infant’s initial postpartum care. Her time as a labor and delivery nurse and her clinical work as a nursing student at UAB helped pave the way for her to not only help families in need, but also gave her an outlet to express her passion for families and give them the tools they need to care for their children.
The UAB National Alumni Society’s UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 recognizes and honors the success of alumni-owner or alumni-managed business/organizations around the world. The virtual event honoring the recipients was held June 24, 2021.
