St. Louis Area Diaper Bank

St. Louis Area Diaper Bank strives to make a health, social and economic impact by not only providing diapers and period supplies but by connecting them to these resources and other resources through our partner agencies. Providing families in need with free diapers influences a range of positive outcomes for these families, such as positive changes in parental mood (reducing the risk of childhood abuse); improved child health and happiness (nurturing their ability to learn); and increased opportunities for childcare, work stability, and school attendance.

Our vision is that we live in a world where everyone has the basic hygiene products needed to live healthy, dignified, and empowered lives.

As of 2021, 1 in 3 families are unable to provide an adequate supply of diapers for their children in the US. It costs around $120 to up to $200 a month to diaper a child for a year - depending on brands, access to affordable sources, diaper size, and individual child needs. For low-income families living in underserved areas, this can be a heavy burden and nearly 10% of a minimum wage worker's take-home pay. In addition to the cost challenge, many families in underserved areas may not have their own vehicles and are unable to get to big box stores like Walmart or Costco, thus they end up paying more for smaller packages of diapers at gas stations and corner stores. The combination of circumstances leaves many families in dire circumstances where they may be forced to leave diapers on longer than they should to conserve a small diaper supply or to "clean" and reuse soiled diapers. At this time, there are no state or federal assistance programs for diapers - and they are expensive items for food pantries to regularly purchase with already tight budgets. This is where the Diaper Bank comes in: we are able to supply the diapers thanks to donors like you to food pantries, social service agencies, and other partner organizations and the combined impact can better assist families with keeping their children healthy and dry, and keep the lights on.

Period poverty is a similar need. In 2018, 1 in 5 low-income women in St. Louis were unable to afford period supplies at least once in a the year. 1 in 5 girls has missed school due to a lack of period supplies. A 2021 study by Kotex nationally found that period poverty has increased in the US since the pandemic and it is disproportionally affecting women of color. Our period supplies program works similarly to the diaper program, and allows these individuals to access the period supplies they need ensuring that they are not missing out on their education, work, and lives simply because they have a period. Thanks to donors like you, we plan to serve over 15,000 individuals in the St. Louis region in 2022.