How much do diapers cost a family these days? The answer is a lot! The average parent spends between $80 to $100 a month diapering their baby, and the costs have risen significantly in the last year due to inflation. Any parent knows that raising a child comes with a host of challenges. For parents impacted by poverty and homelessness, always having a clean diaper for their child can be a luxury.
As the need continues to grow in Mercer County, HomeFront is rising to the challenge of collecting over 500,000 diapers and wipes in a community-wide drive. Last year, HomeFront handed out nearly 1.5 million diapers and wipes to the surrounding community.
There are no state or federal child safety-net programs that offer support specifically for the purchase of diapers and baby wipes and you cannot use food stamps to purchase them either. The National Diaper Bank Network, which HomeFront is a partner, states that 1 in 3 U.S. families have trouble accessing enough diapers to keep their babies clean. A recent study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics showed that parents experiencing poverty in the form of income and material hardship, for example in the form of diaper need, are subject to increased stress, anxiety and depression. Children whose parents manifest high levels of stress are at greater risk of social, emotional, and behavioral problems.
“Providing diapers to our families is essential to HomeFront’s core beliefs. As a key basic necessity, access to diapers is vital to our clients’ health and wellness. Unfortunately, as inflation continues, diaper prices have skyrocketed,” stated Dylan O’Neill, HomeFront’s Food Access & Client Services Manager. “On average, HomeFront distributes between 70,000 and 90,000 diapers to over 1000 families per month. Sustaining a consistent supply in the face of such overwhelming demand has been a challenge. Having the support of our amazing community network as we work to sustain our supply of diapers will go a long way in helping HomeFront meet the growing needs of our families.”
HomeFront established the Diaper Resource Center five years ago to meet the increasing need. That need has increased exponentially since the beginning of the pandemic and continues to grow. In Central New Jersey, they have partnered with Womanspace, Childcare Connection, Children’s Futures, and Rise to serve as many families as possible.
“From its start, HomeFront has been focused on families, and children are at the heart of a family. We know there are a lot of different resources children need to grow on a path to success at different ages, and diapers are an essential first step,” said Catherine Cozzi, HomeFront Resource Network Director. “Basic necessities are often a huge barrier for many struggling families, and diapers can be a source of worry as soon as a child is born. Lack of diapers can keep a child out of daycare and a parent out of work. Access to diapers is vital to keeping babies stay clean, healthy, and dry and giving families peace of mind.”
HomeFront is asking for the community’s help to collect over 500,000 diapers of all sizes and baby wipes by May 14th to ensure all babies in Mercer County are clean, healthy, and happy. Anyone who would like to participate can organize a drive, purchase items off of HomeFront’s Amazon wish list (easily accessed on the social media pages and website and bring donations to their Donation Center at 1880 Princeton Avenue in Lawrenceville. The Donation Center hours are 9 am to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.
They also graciously accept financial to the Diaper Resource Center through their website www.HomeFrontNJ.org or by calling 609-989-9417 x 107. Providing peace of mind is HomeFront’s specialty, but they cannot meet this critical need without the support of the surrounding community.
