Facts and Figures

• Safety-net programs such as the Food Stamp Program and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) do not cover the cost of diapers.
• An adequate supply of diapers can cost over $100 per month.
• The vast majority of licensed day care centers do not accept cloth diapers, and require parents and caregivers to provide a steady supply of disposable diapers.
• Most people living in poverty do not have affordable access to washing facilities. Furthermore, most coin-operated Laundromats do not allow customers to wash cloth diapers for health and sanitary reasons.
• Day care centers require parents to leave disposable diapers with their child. Low-income parents cannot use or take advantage of free or subsidized childcare, if they cannot afford to leave disposable diapers at the childcare centers.
• Uncomfortable babies cry and don’t sleep well at night—this leads to poorly-rested and higher-stressed parents and siblings, which can contribute to illnesses, absences and reduced performance levels at work and school.
• A baby crying from 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.
• Nonprofits working with individuals and families in crisis list diapers as an ongoing and TOP need.