National Diaper Need Awareness Week
Big Steps, Bright Futures: Helping Children Build Confidence for the Milestones Ahead
September 14-20, 2026
National Diaper Need Awareness Week (DNAW) highlights a critical challenge that affects millions of families across the country: diaper need. Nearly 1 in 2 U.S. families with young children struggle to afford enough diapers to keep their children clean, dry, and healthy. Because programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diapers, many parents face difficult choices between purchasing diapers and paying for other essential expenses such as food, housing, transportation, and healthcare.
Our theme,“Big Steps, Bright Futures: Helping Children Build Confidence for the Milestones Ahead,” recognizes that every child deserves the opportunity to navigate these important milestones with dignity and support. Potty training is more than learning a new skill. It is a foundational step that helps children gain confidence, develop self-care habits, and prepare for structured learning environments. Often one of a child’s first major achievements, helping build independence, self-confidence, and readiness for the next stage of growth. By ensuring families have access to diapers and training pants, we help create the stability children need to successfully transition through these formative years.
When children enter preschool or kindergarten with confidence in their self-care skills and a strong sense of independence, they are better positioned to focus on learning, building relationships, and succeeding in the classroom. Supporting diaper access today helps create brighter futures tomorrow by giving children the foundation they need to reach developmental milestones, achieve potty-training success, and begin their educational journey ready to thrive.
Get Involved
Ways You Can Participate:
- Host a Training Pants Drive (physical or virtual)
- Donate diapers or training pants through our Wish List
- Make a financial contribution to support our mission
- Create your own peer-to-peer fundraising campaign
- Attend a Fill the Truck event and donate supplies
- Volunteer during Wrap-It Wednesday
- Share our message on social media and help raise awareness
Together, we can ensure that every child has the confidence, dignity, and resources needed to thrive. Join us in ending diaper need and helping children take Big Steps toward Bright Futures.
National Diaper Need Awareness Week Events
Kickoff Event at Side Project Brewery
📅 Monday, September 14 | 4:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Help us kick off National Diaper Need Awareness Week at Side Project Brewery! Bring a box of diapers or training pants and receive a free beer pour while helping local families access essentials they need.
Fill the Truck
📅 Tuesday, September 14 – Saturday, September 19
We’re bringing back one of our original National Diaper Need Awareness Week traditions: Fill the Truck!
Help us fill the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank truck with diapers and training pants as we pop up at locations throughout the community. Kona Ice will join us at select stops, offering discounted snow cones to donors.
Fill the Truck Stops:
- St. Louis Public Library, Carpenter Branch | September 15, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- St. Louis County Library, Thornhill Branch | September 17, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- St. Charles City-County Library, Spencer Road Branch | September 18, 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- St. Louis Area Diaper Bank | September 19, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Wrap-It Wednesday
📅 Wednesday, September 16 | All Day
Join us for Wrap-It Wednesday, a day of hands-on service helping prepare diaper packages for local families. Volunteers can choose from four convenient one-hour shifts and assist with wrapping, labeling, and preparing diapers for distribution. Sign up here!
Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors
2025 Recap
St. Louis, you did it again! Thanks to our truly amazing supporters, we are excited to share that we FILLED THE WAREHOUSE with 228,465 diapers.
Every single diaper represents a step toward a healthier, happier life for a child in our community. Your donation ensures thousands of St. Louis families can keep their babies clean, dry, and healthy. THANK YOU for standing with us to wipe out diaper need!