National Diaper Bank Network Releases 2023 Survey Results

The NDBN Diaper Check 2023: Diaper Insecurity among U.S. Children and Families

a nationally representative study commissioned by the National Diaper Bank Network

Released June 15, 2023

Source: The NDBN Diaper Check 2023. For the complete Study,
go to their website.

The National Diaper Bank Network just released the results from a 2023 study on diaper need, and they are unfortunately not surprising: Diaper need has increased sharply for families across the US.
We know that having enough diapers opens doors for families: children can gain access to critical early education opportunities, and parents can go back to work to earn much-needed income. Here is a brief summary of NDBN’s major findings:

Diaper need has increased sharply.

47% (almost half) of families reported diaper need in 2023. In the first diaper need investigation in 2010 and in several subsequent studies, approximately 33% or 1/3 of families reported diaper need.

Diaper need forces families to cut back on other essentials.

46% of families reported reducing other expenditures to afford diapers, with most of those households cutting back in multiple areas. The most common cutback was entertainment outside the home (56%). Other common areas for cutbacks included food (35%) and utilities (19%).

Diaper need is associated with stress and worry.

70% of the respondents reporting diaper need said that they were stressed or anxious about their responsibilities as a parent or caregiver. 53% said they felt judged as a bad parent/caregiver because they could not afford diapers.

Diaper need is widespread and cuts across income levels.

Among families with diaper need, 66% were categorized as low income, 28% as middle income, and 6% as high income.

Diaper need impacts daily life.

Families with diaper need reported more instances of unmet health needs; stress and anxiety; limitations on free time and social contact; and barriers to work.

Diaper need intersects with food insecurity.

More than a quarter of respondents (28%) who reported diaper need said that they skipped meals so that they could afford more diapers.

Diaper need results in parents missing work and losing wages.

1 in 4 (25%) of parents and caregivers with diaper need reported having to miss work or school because they did not have enough diapers to drop their child off at childcare, and reported missing, on average, 5.1 workdays in the past 30 days. This represents a loss of $296 per month for a parent earning the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.

Mother’s Day: Give Diapers+ for Ukraine

Check out the USA for UNHCR exclusive interview with our very own, Executive Director, Lisa Truong!

Just in - Challenge Match Announced!

An amazing (anonymous) supporter will match the next $25,000 given, dollar for dollar.  

Give now to automatically DOUBLE your impact!

The match runs from now through Mother’s Day (May 8th). Donate in honor of a mom (or mother figure!) you love, and give the gift of hope to Ukrainian refugees in crisis.

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As you certainly know, the war in Ukraine has upended the lives of millions of people. The UN is reporting that, as of April 19th, more than five million people have left Ukraine; 90% of refugees are women and children. Since the war began, several members of our community have inquired whether HAMO could donate diapers for Ukrainian refugees. Long story short, we did not think we could assist as international aid isn’t in our wheelhouse. We also have our hands full, stateside. *

Then, in March, an acquaintance working at USA for UNHCR (US branch of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) reached out with an ask: Could we donate 100,000 diapers for Ukraine? They offered to take care of logistics and customs. THIS was a game changer, and we said YES. A long-time friend of the cause immediately agreed to underwrite the donation. And, BOOM! We arranged the diaper donation.

Mother’s Day is May 8th. This year we are dedicating proceeds from our Mother’s Day fundraiser to assist Ukrainian mothers and children. Please consider donating to this effort. All monetary donations made through May 31st will be used to procure diapers, period supplies and other essentials and will be donated through USA for UNHCR.

Join the effort:

1. Donate: Make a donation in honor of a mother (or mother figure!) you love, and we’ll send her a swell e-card on your behalf.

2. Host a Fundraiser: A truckload of diapers costs a lot of money. Rally your community by hosting your own fundraiser within our larger one. Use the linked toolkit to get started!

3. Spread the word: Help spread the word! Share our fundraiser, toolkit, emails, and social media posts (Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter).

Three reasons for this “special operation” fundraiser:

1. Our grassroots community wants a way to help Ukraine.

2. Diapers+ will be donated directly through USA for UNHCR.

3. Our U.S. based suppliers also do business in Europe. We hope to source diapers etc. within the E.U. to simplify logistics/keep shipping costs low.

Help a Mother Out has a long-standing history assisting those fleeing violence and oppression, as well as those who simply wish to live with dignity. On a personal level, I’m a proud immigrant; I was born in wartime Saigon and brought to the U.S. as a toddler. This effort runs deep for me, as I know it does for many of you. I hope you will join me in sending a little bit of love and kindness to Ukrainian mothers and children.

In community,
Lisa Truong

Founder and Executive Director

P.S. Please help us get urgently needed diapers and other family essentials to Ukraine by donating or joining our fundraiser today! Your gift will bring hope and change lives!

* Since 2009, our primary focus has been helping our neighbors, stateside. Through our diverse partner network, we get urgently needed diapers to families, including refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, immigrants, and those impacted by natural disasters. This includes recent Afghan refugees, U.S./Mexico border relief, CA wildfires, and mutual aid to diaper banks in CA and beyond. We also recently expanded our SF Diaper Bank to Medi-Cal families. Our programs are open to anyone in need, regardless of immigration status, country of origin or religion.

Help a Mother Out Applauds Governor Newsom and First Partner on Newly Introduced “Parents’ Agenda” and the Sales and Use Tax Exemption for Diapers

Today, ahead of the Thursday budget release, Governor Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom joined members of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus to preview a package of proposals in the budget focused on helping parents. The proposals, which the administration is calling its “Parents Agenda,” address specific cost of living issues faced by young parents and parents of small children.

This includes a sales and use tax exemption for diapers, which Help a Mother Out (HAMO) applauds, with this statement from Founder and Executive Director Lisa Truong:

“Every baby deserves a healthy supply of diapers. But the cost can be prohibitive to families in need. In the Bay Area alone,tens of thousands of children under the age of 3 live in a household with income under the California Poverty Measure, and diapers are not covered by public assistance programs such as SNAP (aka food stamps) or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children). This proposed tax exemption represents a significant step forward, benefiting families across California and relieving some of the financial pressure so many parents face when raising kids here. Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez has led the campaign to repeal the diaper tax, having introduced legislation several years in a row, but never gaining passage of the bill. Help a Mother Out and a coalition of other diaper banks supported this year's bill AB 66. We now call on the Senate and Assembly to support Governor Newsom’s request to include repeal of diaper tax in the Budget Act of 2019.”

Help a Mother Out® works to improve baby and family well being by increasing access to diapers for families in need. A family’s access to a reliable supply of clean diapers reduces the risk of infectious disease outbreaks, improves baby’s health and comfort, and enables baby’s participation in early care and education programs. The non-profit organization has distributed more than 10 million diapers to Bay Area families since its founding in 2009.