2021 Season of Giving: Solving the Diaper Dilemma

Photo Credit: Ignacio Campo (Unsplash)

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that everyone had a wonderful celebration. Instead of sending the usual The Friday Brief this week, covering a policy issue or conflict, I am highlighting diaper banks that need support for Giving Tuesday and throughout this Season of Giving. A recent article by The 19th discussed the connection between diaper need and poverty. Diaper banks in low wealth areas require private support to serve millions of families each year.

Three fast facts about diaper need:
1) U.S. federal programs, such as WIC and SNAP, do not cover diapers. Joanne Samuel Goldblum, the chief executive of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), told The Washington Post that "diaper need is a window into poverty.”

2) Before millions of Americans lost wages due to the pandemic, an estimated 1 in 3 U.S. families could not afford diapers. Audrey Symes, who volunteers with the Good+Foundation in New York said, “The people who lost their jobs first were retail and hospitality workers, which actually employs a lot of families that diaper banks serve and tend to be women."

3) According to studies, parents, mainly mothers, are psychologically impacted by not being able to provide an adequate supply of diapers for their babies. Research has shown that diaper need contributes to postpartum depression more than housing insecurity.

Banking on support:
1) The Diaper Bank of the Ozarks will give away approximately 1.2 million diapers by the end of this year, setting a new record for them. During a recent study of low-income families in the region, they discovered that an estimated 27 million diapers are needed. A $10.36 donation will provide diapers for a week; $44.86 supplies diapers for a month; and $538.32 provides diapers for a year. Donations are accepted here.

2) The Greater DC Diaper Bank supports families throughout the D.C. metropolitan region. One in five families in the region lives below the federal poverty line and the latest data shows that it costs an average of $16,500 per year to care for an infant in this area. In addition to accepting donations, this diaper bank needs volunteers, in-kind gifts, and diaper drives. They also have an Amazon Wishlist.

3) The Aloha Diaper Bank partners with various social agencies and nonprofits in Hawaii to assist families experiencing homelessness, sudden crises, and other financial challenges. Additionally, they assist the Domestic Violence Action Center, Family Hui Hawaii, Lydia House, and We Are Oceania. They have expressed a need for diaper drives and corporate sponsorships.

Want to support a diaper bank or related initiative elsewhere? The NDBN's member directory sorts diaper banks by location. Have an addition that you do not see on their list? Please let me know and I will add your suggestion to the Girl Friday website.