GREENSBORO, N.C. — Reports show more than one in three families experience diaper need.
Michelle Old, Founder of the Diaper Bank of North Carolina said many parents must make the tough decision between buying food or buying diapers.
She said parents will spend anywhere between $80-$100 a month on diapers.
“So, we’re seeing babies left in one diaper a day, families rinsing diapers out, reusing diapers, and parents making really tough decisions about basic human needs that they shouldn’t have to make.”
On average, Old said the bank distributes roughly 400,000 diapers a month for babies across the state with branches in Winston-Salem, Durham and Wilmington.
Since the start of the pandemic, she has seen the need for diapers increase.
“It has not slowed down,” Old said.
“As families continue to be out of work or they’re not having those hourly jobs that are now gone, because the restaurants have closed, the hotels have closed, families are now struggling greatly. Unfortunately, its meaning that a lot of the children are suffering also.”
Unlike food, Old said federal assistant programs like SNAP and WIC do not cover diaper purchases.
Kimberly-Clark, the maker of the popular diaper brand Huggies Pull-ups, recently announced it was notifying customers in the U.S. and Canada that it will raise prices for many of its products in late June to help offset inflation.
The company said percentage increases are in the mid-to-high single digits.
“I understand why companies have to make the decisions that they have to make, but Pre-Covid and during Covid, we know that working families are already struggling to afford the mot basic needs,” Old said.
“So, during this time when prices are being raised, we will do everything that we can to serve the families as best we can.”
The Diaper Bank of North Carolina said it is looking for more volunteers and donations.