- Bijan Kimiagar
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
When people think about a food pantry, they usually picture canned goods and fresh
produce. At the Croton-Cortlandt Food Pantry, we believe that taking care of our
neighbors means looking at the full picture. For families with babies and toddlers, that
picture includes diapers.
Diapers aren’t a luxury. They’re a necessity. A baby can go through 8 to 10 diapers a
day. That adds up to $100 or more every single month. Diapers are considered a
hygiene product, so -- unlike food -- diapers can’t be purchased with SNAP or WIC benefits. For families already facing food insecurity, diaper insecurity compounds their challenges.
The Need in Westchester Is Bigger Than You Might Think
We’re not talking about a small problem. According to data from the Urban Institute, it
would take over 8 million diapers to make sure all low- and moderate-income families in
Westchester County have enough for their infants and toddlers.
The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) estimates that 1 in 2 families with young
children cannot afford enough diapers to keep their baby clean, dry, and healthy. Babies
left in wet or soiled diapers for too long are more likely to develop painful rashes and
infections.
This can impact parents, too. NDBN also estimates 1 in 4 parents has missed work or
school because they didn’t have enough diapers to drop their child off at childcare.
When a parent can’t go to work because they can’t afford diapers, the whole family
suffers.
How You Can Help
Distributing diapers is one more way we at the Croton-Cortlandt Food Pantry do our best to support our community. Diapers are not something we receive from Feeding
Westchester. We purchase them separately and rely on the generosity of our
community to keep diapers on our shelves. A gift of any size goes directly toward
supporting the Pantry’s efforts, including purchasing diapers for local babies in need.
Please consider donating to the Pantry, either with dollars or with your time as a
volunteer. We are 100% volunteer-led and welcome your support to help make a
difference for local families.