Diapers

For babies and toddlers: The Diaper Kit Program

Since 2016, SupplyBank.org has worked with our hundreds of partners throughout the state to establish a diaper kit program that provides up to 100 diaper and 200 wipes to babies per month. Our journey began with a successful pilot program at the Eastmont WIC Center in Oakland in collaboration with First 5 California and Kaiser Permanente. Building on this foundation, our program has experienced remarkable growth and impact. In 2020, with generous support and funding from First 5 California, we launched our statewide diaper kit program and proudly served families in every corner of California. Our focus remains ensuring all parents and caregivers have enough diapers to keep their babies clean, healthy and dry.

One baby uses approximately 8,000 diapers from the day they are born, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Prior to the pandemic, 1 in 3 American families struggled to afford diapers and with recent inflation and fuel increases, diapers now cost more than $100 per month per child. Government assistance does not cover the cost, and with 25% of California’s young children, ages 0 – 5, living in poverty, the need is great for 754,000 babies.

Most childcare centers require families to provide diapers for their babies. If a caregiver cannot afford to purchase enough clean diapers, this limits the opportunity for parents to seek or continue employment. In December of 2021, SupplyBank.org released a short documentary film highlighting the impacts of diaper need across the state and potential solutions. You can learn more about diaper need by watching this film linked here.

Our Diaper Partners

I am proud of the partnership between SupplyBank.org and Kaiser Permanente to provide diapers to families in low-income communities and help close the diaper divide.

Congresswoman Barbara Lee

  • According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, 1 in 3 American mothers experiencing diaper need suffer from poor mental health and increased stress. 

Diaper Need in the United States: One California Diaper Bank’s Story

California was the first state in the United States to provide low-income working families with state assistance to purchase diapers. SupplyBank.org supported this legislation providing research on the medical consequences of diaper need and its impact on the California public health system and securing the support of 19 members of California’s Congressional delegation.

  • More than 500,000 babies in California required emergency room or inpatient care due to diaper need in 2007 – 2019.
  • Average emergency room visit: $1500-$2000 = $49 million in emergency room medical expenses annually.

Since 2016 SupplyBank.org has partnered with all 58 County Children and Family (First 5) Commissions, Women, Infants & Children (WIC), Family Resource Centers (FRCs), and thousands of childcare providers to provide tens of millions of diaper and wipes to low-income families throughout the state. Tapping a global supply chain and utilizing economies of scale, SupplyBank.org has developed a lower cost, more efficient programmatic model that leverages the existing safety net of trusted local agencies to reach hundreds of thousands of people in need of diapers and wipes.

We procure diapers and baby wipes at approximately 1/3 of the in-store cost. This resource distribution model enables SupplyBank.org to assist more than double the number of children served through the traditional channel of purchasing diapers at retail prices (collection drives).

The program’s success has led counties across the state, public agencies, and private organizations to invest resources as matching funds to expand the reach. You can help make a further impact by donating through the link below. 

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