New Haven, Conn., Sept. 08, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- One in two U.S. families with young children struggles to provide enough diapers for their baby. During National Diaper Need Awareness Week (Sept. 18 – Sept.. 24, 2023) the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) encourages people to learn about this growing public health issue and take actions to help end diaper need.
According to The NDBN Diaper Check 2023: Diaper Insecurity Among U.S. Children and Families, 47% can’t afford the diapers they need to keep their children clean, dry and healthy. This is diaper need, an often hidden consequence of poverty, which harms the physical, mental, and economic well-being of children and families.
Recent national news reports show that the average cost of diapers has increased 32% since 2019, which hits household budgets hard, particularly for low-wage earners and families living in poverty.
During National Diaper Need Awareness Week, NDBN’s 225+ member diaper banks will be hosting events to educate the public about diaper need. These community-based nonprofits across the country are working with individuals, community organizations, and elected officials to help get free, clean diapers to babies. Also throughout the week, many diaper banks are organizing community-wide diaper drives and fundraising campaigns that will help ensure that the nonprofit remains a reliable source of diapers for children and families in their communities throughout the year.
“All families should have the diapers they require for their children,” said Joanne Goldblum, CEO and founder of NDBN. “National Diaper Need Awareness Week recognizes that small things affect big things. Diapers matter. And, for families in need, diaper banks frequently provide the only resources available to help moms, dads, grandparents and other caregivers obtain the diapers needed to keep a child healthy.”
More than 4.6 million infants and toddlers live in low-wage families earning below 200% of the federal poverty level (State of Babies Yearbook 2022). Many parents and caregivers face a daily struggle to afford the diapers they need. According to the Center for Economic and Policy Research, the poorest 20 percent of Americans who buy diapers spend nearly 14 percent of their post-tax income on diapers. Yet, government programs designed to help children typically do not provide funding for diapers, a basic necessity for all babies.
Of families in diaper need, one in four parents and caregivers (25%) reported missing work or school due to a lack of sufficient diapers required by child care, day care or early education programs to care for a baby or toddler. As a result, parents experiencing diaper need who relied on day care missed an average of 5.1 days of work or school in the past month (source: The NDBN Diaper Check 2023: Diaper Insecurity Among U.S. Children and Families, 2023).
Fifty-three percent of parents experiencing diaper need feel judged as a parent or caregiver because they cannot afford diapers, while 70% of households in need experience feeling stressed or overwhelmed about their responsibilities as a caregiver. (source: The NDBN Diaper Check 2023: Diaper Insecurity Among U.S. Children and Families, 2023).
About NDBN
The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) leads a nationwide movement dedicated to helping individuals, children and families access the basic necessities they require to thrive and reach their full potential...including clean, dry diapers, period supplies and other basic needs. Launched in 2011 with the support of founding sponsor Huggies®, NDBN is dedicated to creating awareness, providing assistance and building community to #EndDiaperNeed in the US. Its active membership includes more than 300 basic needs banks serving local communities in all 50 US states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. More information on NDBN and diaper need is available at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org, and on Twitter (@DiaperNetwork), Instagram (@DiaperNetwork) and Facebook (facebook.com/NationalDiaperBankNetwork).
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