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Our Impact

We have come a long way, but to continue helping families in our region we need your support!

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Number of diapers distributed since the Diaper Bank's founding in 2014
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Number of period supplies distributed since the STL Alliance for Period Supplies founding in 2020
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Diapers distributed during the COVID-19 Response, serving 27,490 children
“The diapers and period supplies provided by the Diaper Bank provide much needed emotional and financial stress relief for families and individuals; allowing them to focus on living happy, healthy lives.”

Diaper Need Stats

It costs $1,000 to diaper one child for a year, which is up to 15% of the take-home income of a parent earning minimum wage
1 in 3 families across the country experience diaper need, however, the need is greater in low-income communities
No public benefit programs allow for the purchase of diapers
Nationally, 57% of parents experiencing diaper need who rely on child care said they missed an average of 4 days of school or work in the past month because they didn't have diapers
64% of moms who get Diaper Bank diapers report leaving their child in soiled diapers longer than they want in order to make a small diaper supply last longer
Some parents without enough diapers report limiting their child's liquid intake to make diapers last longer
Children's brains start building the foundations for attachment, trust, and emotional maturity the moment of birth, and the brain of a child whose needs are consistently left unmet can be left with permanent scars from that toxic stress
Moms who don't have enough diapers are 3X more likely than their peers to suffer from depression and anxiety
Children left in soiled diapers are uncomfortable and irritable. Fussy babies are at an increased risk of child abuse
Families have to choose between diapers and…

“Diapers affect nearly every aspect of family life. From an infant’s physical, emotional, and mental health, to the mental and emotional health of parents, contributing to the quality of life of the entire household.”

Period Poverty Stats

In Missouri, 1 in 5 women and girls between the age of 12 and 44 lives below the Federal Poverty Line.
46% of low-income women in St. Louis have had to choose between food and menstrual hygiene products.
2/3 of low-income women in St. Louis could not afford menstrual hygiene products over the course of the last year.
1 in 4 teens in the US has missed class due to lack of access to period supplies. In Missouri, 75% of female students in public school grades 7 to 12 attend Title I Eligible schools.
Sales taxes on period supplies place an unequal burden on individuals who menstruate. 30 states tax period supplies. In Missouri, period supplies are taxed.
Participants of the WIC program receive nutritious food. However, those living below 185% FPL face challenges meeting other material basic necessities.
Period poverty affects every aspect of a person’s life. Including the physical and mental well-being and their ability to attend work or school because they lack the products necessary to manage their monthly period.

“This is not a luxury, It’s a need. It affects a woman’s sense of self, her sense of dignity and her ability to participate in life.”

– Anne Sebert Kuhlmann, PhD, MPH associate professor in the College for Public Health and Social Justice at St. Louis University.*

* Read Dr. Sebert Kuhlmann’s full report here

Raising Awareness

A critical part of our mission at the Diaper Bank is to “raise awareness about the causes and consequences of diaper need in our community.” Through our work with families in the St. Louis region we realized that there is a great deal of misunderstanding between people who are experiencing poverty in its various forms and people who are not.

“What is something that you wish other people understood about raising children while struggling to make ends meet?”