Imagine making a decision between keeping your baby clean, dry and healthy and putting food on the table. This is what diaper poverty looks like. Diaper poverty is a national crisis for 1 in 3 families in the United States. In Arkansas, there are 148,815 infants under three-years-old. Of these infants, 27% live in families that earn less than the federal poverty level. This means 27% of families have a choice to make each time they run out of diapers.
For families living in poverty, purchasing diapers is not included in their government assistance benefits. Buying this basic necessity for infants is not cheap. Due to inflation, the cost of diapers rose 10% in 2022. Families cannot afford to buy diapers.
When families choose not to buy diapers, their child is at risk for attracting infections and rashes. Families will find other alternatives such as having their child re-wear their diaper or using household rags until they can purchase more. A mom shouldn’t have to turn to other alternatives.
At Every Arkansan, we want to support outreach to ensure families have access to diapers. Through our CityServe Arkansas church partners, we are able to provide diapers to churches so they can serve families and infants in their communities.
Maranatha Assembly of God in Shirley, Arkansas saw that a grandmother needed support. Alicia Holt, Maranatha’s church liaison, reflected on the impact a box of diapers can have.
“One of our volunteers, Starla, met a grandmother who had just gotten custody of her grandchildren,” Holt said. “This woman was sharing with Starla that she could not believe the cost of diapers and was not sure how they could afford them as they learned to adjust to raising kids again.”
Knowing that CityServe had diapers available, the church ordered boxes to serve their community.
“Starla knew that we had diapers at the church from CityServe and came to pick them up to deliver to the grandmother. She was so thankful and moved to tears,” Holt reflected. “She asked if we could begin picking her kids up for church. We are so excited and wowed by the doors that a box of diapers can open!”.
This is the impact diapers have on families, it is much more than just a box. Meeting this basic need creates opportunities for ministry and outreach. Boxes of diapers bring hope.
To help provide diapers for CityServe church partners, visit everyarkansan.org/donate to ensure families in need can receive this necessity.
