• No "safety net" programs (WIC, Food Stamps, Medicare (except for hospice)) pay for or provide diapers.
  • The very poor have limited access to grocery stores or "big box" discount stores, and are limited to corner and convenience stores they can walk to where small packs of diapers are extremely overpriced.
  • A healthy change of diapers, especially at extreme retail prices, can cost $100 or more per month.
  • Cash assistance is very limited and hard to qualify for in Michigan - a family must be 44% or more below the poverty line to receive any cash assistance, and then a family of 3 only receives $492/mo. (more here)
  • Daycare centers require parents to leave disposable diapers with their child; parents who can't afford diapers can't go to work or school and the vicious cycle of poverty continues.
  • Disposable diaper manufacturers do not donate diapers, not even to crisis nurseries or shelters.
  • Nonprofits working with individuals and families in crisis list diapers as an ongoing and TOP need.
Most of us see diapers as an every-day item and basic necessity of life.  But for those who need them and cannot afford them, especially the most vulnerable populations -- babies in low-income homes, the elderly and people with disabilities -- a healthy change of diapers is an expensive luxury.
The Facts:
The Impacts:
  Babies:
  • A healthy change of diapers for the average infant is up to 12 per day, a toddler up to 8 per day.  But in low-income households, a baby may be in a single diaper all day or longer, increasing the risk of health problems from skin diseases to hepatitis.
  • Many low-income families don't have insurance, so health issues often go untreated until they require a trip to the ER, creating added pressure on community hospitals that must provide free emergency care.
  • Uncomfortable babies cry and don't sleep well at night -- this leads to poorly-rested parents and siblings and can contribute to illnesses, absences and reduced performance levels at work and school.
  • A baby crying non-stop from being in a soiled diaper for a prolonged period of time or suffering from a severe diaper rash is more susceptible to abuse, especially in an already-stressed household.
  The Elderly:
  • 15-20% of all adults over age 65 suffer some degree of incontinence.
  • Elder abuse is more likely in a multi-generational household facing the added stress of incontinence.
  • Healthy but incontinent seniors often become homebound if they can't afford supplies.  This can lead to isolation, depression and increased need for assistance programs like Meals on Wheels.
  • Incontinence is among the most common reasons for seniors to be put in nursing homes.
  People with Disabilities:
  • Many babies with disabilities never outgrow the need for diapers, even through adulthood.
  • Adding adult-size diaper costs to uncovered medical expenses can devastate families earning an otherwise adequate income.
  • Many children and adults with disabilities need diapers or incontinence supplies in order to go to school, work or participate in job training.
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# of diapers, pull-ups and incontinence supplies distributed to partners since April 27, 2009:
107,712
The Detroit Area Diaper Bank exists to fill an unmet critical need in our community.  Please support the Diaper Bank and help us help our neighbors.
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