Launching the First Federal Diaper Assistance Pilot: A Step in the Right Direction

Prior to joining the Biden-Harris administration, I spent two years working with community partners in California to advance economic justice and ensure vulnerable families had their basic needs met. Much of this work centered on access to diapers — a basic need that far too many families struggle with.

Across the country, one in three families do not have enough money to change their baby or toddler’s diaper frequently enough. All too often, caregivers are forced to make impossible choices when it comes to basic necessities, and diapers are no exception. I’ve seen mothers scrape waste out of their child’s diaper and reuse it, I’ve met fathers who had to take two buses just to get one box of diapers from a community agency, and I’ve talked to caregivers who have had to use diapers that were too small for their baby because they had nothing else.

Given the work that we do at the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) to address the causes and consequences of poverty, increase opportunity and economic security for individuals and families, and revitalize underserved communities, I am elated that today — during Diaper Need Awareness Week — we are launching the first-ever federal diaper distribution pilot.

While there is much more to do, this is a step in the right direction.

The New Diaper Distribution Pilot 

The Office of Community Services (OCS), in partnership with the Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, has made available $8 million in new funds for the Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot (DDDRP), also known as the Diaper Distribution Pilot. This pilot program aims to evaluate the ability of Community Action Agencies, local social service agencies, and other non-profit community organizations to provide diapers and diapering supplies on a consistent basis for families with low incomes. Moreover, the community-based diaper distribution organizations will provide wraparound support services to participating families to help move them out of poverty toward self-sufficiency. Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) state associations will lead these efforts and support economies of scale in six states around the country. In addition, the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency will utilize pilot funding to address diaper need for eligible tribal members.

Five Things You Probably Didn’t Realize About Diaper Need in America

As we celebrate the launch of the first federally funded diaper assistance program, here are five things you may not know about diaper need in the United States.

1. One in three families in the United States with diaper-age children report having unmet diaper need. This means these families do not have a sufficient supply of diapers to keep a child clean, dry, and healthy, which puts stress on caregivers and cause negative health outcomes for children. Caregivers have reported borrowing money from family or friends, stretching time between diaper changes, and leaving children diaper-less to stretch their supply. The Diaper Distribution Pilot will award seven grants to community-based organizations that are already operating diaper distribution programs so they can expand their services and assist families with unmet diaper need. 
2. Cost is a barrier to adequate diaper supply. An adequate supply of diapers for one child costs an average of $23 per week or $1,196 per year. A single parent working full time at the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour makes $15,080 annually. The cost of diapers represents nearly eight percent of their gross income. Diaper Distribution Pilot grant recipients will distribute diapers to participating families on a regular basis help defray these costs.
3. More than half of parents who experience diaper need have missed work because of an inadequate supply of diapers. Many child care providers require caregivers to provide diapers before a child can be placed in care. A 2019 study found that parents who were unable to access child care because of a lack of diapers missed work or school, on average, four days per month . Diaper need further exacerbates the impact of poverty by impeding caregivers’ ability to consistently attend school, training programs, or work. Diaper Distribution Pilot grant recipients will work towards decreasing rates of missed days for children enrolled in child care and increasing workforce participation for caregivers.
4. Unmet diaper need is a health equity issue. Infrequent diaper changes can lead to painful rashes and infections for infants and toddlers, which in turn lead to more visits to the doctor or trips to the emergency room. One study found that an influx of funding for diapers and diapering supplies was correlated with incidences of diaper rash declining by 33 percent and babies experiencing 77 percent fewer days of diaper rash . By providing consistent access to diapers, Diaper Distribution Pilot grant recipients will help promote children’s health.
5. Diaper distribution programs connect families to other resources. Children need diapers from the day they are born. A caregiver entering an agency in search of diaper assistance can leave with connections to many other services they and their families are eligible for. Diaper Distribution Pilot grant recipients will work closely with community partners to provide other support services to families such as job training, financial literacy programs, and housing services to help beneficiaries move to a higher level of economic independence.

As we support the historic launch of the Diaper Distribution Pilot, ACF and OCS remain committed to not only meeting the immediate needs of underserved families but providing long-term solutions that support economic mobility. This pilot will serve the dual purpose of alleviating diaper need crises in the communities served, while also providing wraparound services to participating families. This will ultimately help determine how funding for diapers can be an effective anti-poverty strategy. As this pilot grows and evolves, OCS looks forward to sharing more about the impactful work of our grant recipients and meeting the needs of both children and caregivers in communities with low incomes.

To learn more about the Diaper Distribution Pilot, including a list of grant recipients and their efforts, visit the Diaper Distribution Pilot online.