The Diaper Bank

• to ensure that families living in poverty have an adequate supply of diapers for their infants and toddlers;
• to raise community awareness that ”basic human needs” include diapers and that these needs are not being met for children living in poverty
• to advocate for policy reform so that diapers are included in the definition of and provision for the “basic human needs” of families.

Description:
• Infants need up to 12 diapers per day; toddlers about 8 diapers per day.
• An adequate supply of disposable diapers can cost over $100 per month.
• In low-income households, babies often spend the entire day or longer in a single diaper, because the family cannot afford to buy an adequate supply of diapers.
• Inadequate diaper changing increases the risk of numerous health problems including diaper rash and may be linked to an increase rate of hepatitis.
• Low income parents cannot take advantage of free or subsidized childcare, if they cannot afford to leave disposable diapers at the childcare centers. An unfortunate consequence of an inadequate supply of diapers is work and school truancy among the caregivers.
• A baby crying from being in a soiled diaper for a prolonged period of time may be at a greater risk of physical abuse by the caregiver, as recognized in studies of patterns of abuse among low-income families.

History:
The Diaper Bank was incorporated in April of 2004 and has been distributing diapers since August of 2004. We now distribute over 200,000 diapers monthly to poor and low income families in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford through an extensive Diaper Distribution Network comprised of more than 50 direct service, health, child welfare and community agencies. Funding is provided through the generosity of individual donors, corporations, foundations, and state agencies. Our immediate goal is to increase the number of diapers available for distribution and to continue to raise awareness of the need for economic stability in the poor and low income community.

Contact person: Kym Hunter, Program Manager, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (877) 934-7009

Address:

#110 1440 Whalley Avenue New Haven, CT 06511 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.thediaperbank.org

Directions:

We are looking for someone to help with our website so they could do it from their home.

Last updated on October 14, 2009