Nebraska organization working to close ‘Diaper Gap’

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Leaders at the Nebraska Diaper Bank said a lack of adequate supply of diapers is affecting many families, causing a “diaper gap.”

Executive Director Teagan Reed said one in three families in the state struggle to afford enough clean, dry diapers for their babies.

“It helps families not to have to make really tough choices like fastening a t-shirt or a plastic bag into a diaper to make ends meet,” Reed said. “Or, having to decide if they’re going to pay for rent or diapers, food or diapers for their family. We exist so that we don’t have to make those really difficult decisions.”

Data from the National Diaper Bank Network finds the price of diapers has increased 48% since the pandemic, costing families as much as $1,000 a year per child.

“We were able to provide 3.4 million diapers last year to 13,000 babies,” Reed said. “But there’s so much work to be done still.”

Reed said that need is being felt, with more people than ever before heading to the bank’s 70 partner locations across the state.

The bank has been around for 10 years.

“There’s repeat volunteers that love to come in,” Volunteer Megan Morrison said. “They love to wrap the diapers and they love to come back to do it.”

Volunteers recently wrapped the 10,000,000th diaper pack that will be given out to a local mom in March.

“To know that it goes all over the state and babies are being helped, as well as mothers in need, it’s been a blessing,” Volunteer Janet Deitloff said.

Looking ahead to the next 10 years, Reed said she hopes the bank will be able to cover every county in Nebraska one day.

Nebraska Diaper Bank serves families based on financial need up until their baby’s third birthday.

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