Urgent Need for Diapers and Wipes
Parenting is full of tough choices, but parents shouldn’t have to choose between feeding their young child or providing that child a clean diaper. For many Wilkes County families, the steady inflation of diaper costs has put them in a difficult place of having to choose what necessities they can provide their young child. The average price for a package of disposable diapers was $16.54 in 2019, according to NielsenIQ data on U.S. sales of disposable diapers. Now, the average price is $21.90. This is a one third increase in the price of disposable diapers since 2019.
For families that are already living on a limited budget, this is a price increase they cannot afford. Fonda Gail Cecile at Wilkes Community Partnership for Children has seen the distress of these families first-hand. Known affectionately as “Mrs. Gail” in the WCPC office, she has been the administrator of the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program since it began in 2020. The program began during COVID as a way for WCPC to help families who were struggling financially during the COVID crisis. WCPC’s former Executive Director, Susan Cogdill, connected WCPC in 2020 with the NC Diaper Bank, a nonprofit that uses partners across the state to distribute diapers to families in need.
The need for diaper assistance has steadily increased across the state of NC, forcing the NC Diaper Bank to reduce the diaper supply by half to their distributing partners in early 2023. The WCPC Diaper Assistance Program continued to grow during this time, but the supply of diapers provided by the NC Diaper Bank would only provide one third of the need for Wilkes County families after this supply reduction. NC Diaper Bank also discontinued providing packs of wipes with their diapers. The number of participants in the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program has more than doubled since the program began, and in 2023, WCPC served 922 families. Among these participants are not only parents of young children, but foster parents and grandparents caring for young children. While WCPC is thankful for what the NC Diaper Bank can provide, the WCPC staff and Board of Directors realized that this supply reduction would have a significant impact on Wilkes County families. “The demand is always much higher than we can give out,” says Gail.
Why are free diapers so important? The WCPC Diaper Assistance program has a measurable impact in Wilkes County. According to 2023 WCPC survey data, 70 percent of program participants responded that the WCPC diaper program helped reduce stress in their home. 54% of program participants indicated that the WCPC diaper program helped them to buy food for their family. Another 36% indicated that the WCPC diaper program allowed them to provide clothes for their young children. Working families make up 60% of the program participants. 57% of program participants indicated that the WCPC diaper program helped them pay at least one bill. 98% of program participants indicated that the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program helps them feel cared for and connected to the community. “Parents are so thankful because they know that costs are so high right now,” Gail says. “What many people outside the WCPC office may not realize is that a family may come in for diapers, but our staff is quickly able to discern other needs and help if we are able. We give out any items that are donated to WCPC – clothing, high chairs, formula. Families may not know what to ask for when they come in, but we’ll find out what they need and quickly give out other donated items to help them.” The WCPC staff fills each bag of free diapers with resources to help families in Wilkes County and connects them with other free services in the community. These resources include tips about healthy eating from WCPC Health Consultant, Julie Johnson. She adds information about how families on a fixed budget can promote healthy eating in their homes. Child nutrition is important, and for some families, this may be the only resource they receive.
Clean diapers are also essential to the health of each young child. When parents don’t have a supply of clean diapers, they are forced to leave their children in dirty diapers longer. This is a health hazard that can cause serious diaper rash and urinary tract infections. Gail recalls the mother she’ll never forget – a homeless woman with a baby who came to the WCPC office. The mother had no clean diapers and was forced to leave her young child in the same diaper for two days. “She was referred to us by another community agency because we could help with diapers for her baby,” Gail says. “We were able to provide diapers and make a connection so that she was able to keep coming back as she needed supplies for her baby.” The WCPC Diaper Assistance Program provided a way for this young mother to care for her child.
The need for diaper assistance continues to grow in Wilkes County as families face rising costs for food and housing. Because of the supply reduction from the NC Diaper Bank, WCPC must continue to make up the difference in the supplies needed. The WCPC Diaper Assistance Program is privately funded – NC Smart Start funds cannot be used to support this program. In 2023, WCPC distributed 75,125 diapers and 1,247 packs of wipes to Wilkes County families. Two thirds of the cost of diapers and almost all cost of wipes were funded through donations to the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program.
WCPC’s team is passionate about this program and clearly sees the impact it makes on the lives of Wilkes County families. Families walk through the WCPC office doors and express their deep gratitude for this program. WCPC’s staff and Board of Directors want to continue to meet this need, but we cannot continue without your help. Will you please consider donating to this program today? Donations are tax deductible and will be used directly in the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program. WCPC also accepts donations of unopened packs of diapers and baby wipes in all sizes and can provide an in-kind donation form for your tax records.
Click here to make an online donation to the WCPC Diaper Assistance Program. Checks may also be mailed to the WCPC office at PO Box 788 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659. Donations of unopened packs of diapers and baby wipes can be dropped off at the WCPC at 1915 West Park Drive Suite 107 North Wilkesboro, NC 28659.
“We want to keep meeting these needs. The parents we see want to take care of their children. No parent should have to ask themselves, ‘What do I do? Do I feed my child? Do I get diapers? How long can I use the diapers I have?’ I hope that anyone who considers donating to this program can be compassionate and put themselves in the shoes of these parents. They need our help.”