The National Diaper Bank Network and Huggies Release New Diaper Need Study
This week, 9/25-10/1, is Diaper Need Awareness Week, which is why I want to share with you a study that was just released on Monday by Huggies and the National Diaper Bank Network, entitled Diaper Need and Its Impact on U.S. Families. This study does a great deal to bring attention to a pervasive, yet often undocumented issue.
The key finding of this study is just how common diaper need is across the United States. One in three families (36%) is affected by diaper need, regardless of age, race or income. This means that for every third home that you pass with a child in it, one of them is struggling to provide clean, dry diapers for their baby.
This inability to provide clean, dry diapers for their children left 73% of respondents in the study feeling they are not being good parents when their children are left too long in a dirty diaper. The effect on parents is clear and, in fact, 1/3 of households in need experience feeling stressed or overwhelmed by diapering always or often.
The study also found that of families in diaper need, three-in-five parents miss work or school due to a lack of sufficient diapers required by childcare, day care or early education programs to care for a baby or toddler. As a result, parents experiencing diaper need missed an average of four days of work or school in the past month.
These statistics are certainly moving and demonstrate diaper need is a lasting issue that should remain at the forefront of American consciousness during Diaper Need Awareness Week and beyond. There are many ways that individuals can help fight diaper need all year long and contribute to organizations that provide help in the face of diaper need. The National Diaper Bank 
Network is one of the key organizations working to help those affected by diaper need daily. In partnership with Huggies, who became a founding sponsor in 2011, this network has grown from 40 to over 300 banks. These diaper banks are operating in communities around the U.S. – from small banks operating out of houses to big warehouses with thousands of diapers – to do their part. These grassroots operations are made possible in part by Huggies, who has donated over 200 million diapers and wipes to programs across the country.
Those who are interested can contribute to these initiatives in a number of ways. To support the National Diaper Bank Network, you can make a monetary contribution at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org, visit a local diaper bank or even host a diaper drive. Lastly, you can donate your Huggies Rewards Points to the National Diaper Bank Network by visiting Huggies.com/NoBabyUnhugged.