#diaper need #healthequity #COVIDparenting #childcareisessential

Approximately 20% of all births in Vermont are covered by Medicaid. Statistics show a disproportionate number of Vermont’s youngest children receive public assistance and are affected by diaper need. Even with the urgent, unmet diaper need in Vermont, there are no state or federal safety net programs (Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, 3 Squares) which cover the purchase of diapers. Creating a publicly funded diaper bank distribution program would help to address economic and health inequities in Vermont’s most vulnerable population.

When my nerdy data analyst partner and I became new parents, we decided to track our monthly diaper use. We were curious about the cost and time required to diaper our precious newborn. What our data revealed was mind boggling! We discovered that on average we used 7 diapers daily and 210 monthly. This is more than 2,500 diapers each year, at a cost of over $900.

Our rising household costs made me wonder how families struggling economically meet this need, especially with the extra hardships of the COVID-19 pandemic. I quickly learned that diapering is one of the largest unmet needs in our community. Pre-pandemic, the National Diaper Bank Network estimated that one in three US families struggled to purchase enough diapers. The economic fall-out of COVID-19, however, made this much worse.

Increase in diaper demand from 2018-2021 in Vermont

In Vermont, local diaper banks saw a 600% increase in diaper need during the pandemic. In 2018 and 2019, the Junior League of Champlain Valley distributed an average of 100,000 diapers to nine community partners. During the first year of the pandemic, distribution increased to 458,000 diapers. Last year, the League donated a staggering 824,225 diapers to families statewide with diaper need! This expanded effort involved 62 partner agencies and creating two distribution centers in South Burlington and Norwich.

Why does this matter?

First, diaper need is a significant economic and health equity issue for our youngest and most vulnerable. Statistics show a disproportionate number of Vermont’s youngest children receive public assistance and are likely affected by diaper need. Currently, over 17,000 Vermonters are under three years of age. 24% of these children live in families earning between 100-200% of the federal poverty level. Approximately 20% of all births in Vermont are covered by Medicaid. Infants comprise 18 % of WIC recipients and 9 % of SNAP beneficiaries are under age 5.

The result is that low-income families often can’t afford an adequate supply of diapers, making do with 1 or 2 diapers daily. Without clean and available diapers, children are more prone to skin rashes, urinary tract infections, open sores, and other health conditions that may require medical attention. Chronic health and hygiene issues impair a child’s ability to learn and develop in a healthy way. Ongoing medical treatments for these preventable illnesses tax both our healthcare system (already under duress with COVID 19) and programs such as Dr. Dyansaur/Medicaid.

Second, diapering can be a direct economic and emotional strain on families. On average, children use eight to ten diapers daily. Diapers cost $80-$100 per child, per month, averaging $900 per year. This expenditure is almost 5% of gross income for a minimum wage earner. Low income families with diaper needs also have less purchasing power, often spending twice as much as families that bulk purchase.

Perhaps most significantly, diaper scarcity blocks access to childcare and subsequently the work force and adult education or training for parents. Nationally, 57% of parents with diaper need miss four days of work/school each month because they can’t provide enough diapers to daycare. An inability to access daycare or missed work days for parents with diaper needs limits the economic prosperity of individual families and our state as a whole.

Even with the urgent, unmet diaper need in Vermont, there are no state or federal safety net programs (Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, 3 Squares) which cover the purchase of diapers, despite the 11:1 return on investment. With no safety net programs covering the purchase of diapers, corporate giving and private philanthropy have been the only means to close this gap. Given the number of children currently eligible for these programs, this is an egregious omission in public policy.

To close this opportunity gap, Vermont Connector partnered the Junior League of Champlain Valley with the New North End Food Pantry. The Junior League, a National Diaper Bank affiliate, has distributed over one million diapers, free of charge, to over 60 partner organizations statewide. The New North End Food Pantry is a 100% volunteer-run and donation-based food shelf in Burlington. Through this partnership, it is also now a diaper bank distribution center.

Vermont Connector’s role in the partnership was to do a needs assessment and community resource mapping. Here we identified an unmet diaper need for low-income Vermonters served by the Food Shelf. To address this need, we designed and implemented four distinct projects: fundraising, diaper drive, diaper bank designation, and operations support.

First, Vermont Connector did a two-week, social media fundraising campaign and raised $300 in donations for the Junior League. Second, Connector now coordinates a monthly diaper drive amongst the New North End community. In three short months, we have procured 1400 diapers from neighbors to donate to the Pantry. We have used community organizing tools such as appeals on Front Page Forum (a local community bulletin board) and the Buy Nothing Project to further this goal.

Third, as a volunteer-only run distribution center, the New North End Pantry has also needed coordination and logistical assistance with monthly diaper ordering. Connector has been responsible for surveying clients, inventory management, ordering, procurement, external communications, and delivery of the monthly diaper request.

Fourth, we helped to designate the Pantry as an official Diaper Bank distribution center. As such, the NNE Pantry receives a monthly donation of diapers, wipes, and formula free of charge. From October to March, Vermont Connector has provisioned the Pantry with 13,988 diapers, 24,420 wipes, and 146 tins of formula total. This designation will have the longest term impact and will be the most sustainable and scalable of the project. We continue to evaluate diaper need and the Pantry’s capacity to scale the project to serve more beneficiaries.

Partial view of one month’s diaper bank collection for the New North End Food Pantry.

Externally, Vermont Connector has advocated for public policy reforms through support of Senate Bill 198 (An Act relating to the Diaper Need Working Group) and by petitioning for a $200 million emergency allocation to the Social Service Block Grant to create a national diaper bank network.

If you are inspired to address the opportunity gap of diaper need in your community please contact Vermont Connector (vermontconnector@gmail.com) to be connected to local champions, resources, and opportunities.

Additional Resources

Works Cited

Connecticut Center for Economic Analysis. Better Health for Children and Increased Opportunities for Families: The Social and Economic Impacts of the Diaper Bank of Connecticut. Research and Studies, https://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/The-Social-and-Economic-Impacts-of-the-DIaper-Bank-of-Connecticut.pdf. Accessed 9 February 2022.

“JLCV Diaper Bank Partners 2021.” Our Distribution Partners, https://champlainvalley.jl.org/wp-content/uploads/JLCV-distribution-partners-2022.pdf. Accessed 9 February 2022.

Junior League of Champlain Valley. “Diaper Bank.” Junior League of Champlain Valley, VT, https://champlainvalley.jl.org/diaper-bank/. Accessed 9 February 2022.

“National Diaper Bank Economic Impact Study.” National Diaper Bank Network, https://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/economic-impact-study/. Accessed 9 February 2022.

“Vermont Diaper Facts.” State Diaper Statistics, National Diaper Bank, https://nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/2020_State_Diaper_Facts_3_2021_Vermont_V1.pdf. Accessed 9 February 2022.