Thank you to everyone who donated 47,002 diapers to the 2023 Diaper Drive! The diapers have been given out to families receiving support from WIC Somerville, and they are deeply grateful.

So far, WIC has received 45,321 diapers this year with more still coming in. Thank you to everyone who donated!

Thank you to everyone who has donated to, or collected for, the 2023 Metro-Boston Diaper Drive! So far, we have collected 44,764 for WIC Somerville, with more still coming in. Yesterday, I dropped off diapers collected in Lincoln, MA, and I got to see where WIC is keeping the diapers. The photo shows just some of the diapers that have come in, and they are already distributing them to families in need.

Diaper need continues to leave more than 1 in 3 families unable to afford enough diapers for their children according to a study published in Health Equity. The study’s authors note that diapers cost $70 – $80 per month, emphasizing that WIC and SNAP benefits do not provide funds for diapers. Furthermore, diaper need is associated with negative health outcomes for both children and parents. These include “increased pediatric care visits for diaper dermatitis and urinary tract infections and maternal depressive symptoms.” The study indicates that diaper need is especially high among families already receiving support from programs like WIC, which is why the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive partners with the Somerville WIC office. They are well suited to evaluate and assist area families who need help getting diapers.

To read the full study, see: Emily H. Belarmino, Rachel M. Zack, Lauren A. Clay, and Nick W. Birk.Diaper Need During the COVID-19 Pandemic Associated with Poverty, Food Insecurity, and Chronic Illness: An Analysis of a Representative State Sample of Caretakers with Young Children.Health Equity.Sep 2022.150-158.http://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2021.0093creative commons license

The Somerville WIC office was thrilled to receive 66,037 diapers this year! For families in need, being able to receive a bigger supply of diapers has been so helpful. Thank you to all the people and businesses who helped us achieve this amazing goal! You have made Boston-area families healthier and happier by supporting the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive.

Many don’t realize that WIC and SNAP benefits do not cover the cost of diapers. Families without a lot of cash to spend at one time or a credit card pay MORE for diapers. Why? They are usually forced to buy diapers in smaller quantities, often at corner stores where the price is higher; they cannot afford to take advantage of diaper subscriptions that send diapers regularly for a discount; and they cannot afford memberships to discount bulk stores. Families should not have to re-use dirty diapers, risking the health of their children. Read more about the difficulties families face getting diapers here.

We worried that 2020 would be a tough year for the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive. We wondered if an entirely virtual Drive would be half as effective as our usual Drive with boxes in over 30 locations where people can donate opened packages of diapers that their children outgrew. With COVID-19, families struggling to work while managing children in the absence of full-time school in most towns, an election, an uncertain economy, and so many other issues to focus on, we wondered if people would give this year. But our amazing donors came through, making 2020 the most successful year yet for the Metro-Boston Diaper Drive.

WIC clients have been moved to learn that the diapers come from other families that care about their family, and we are gratified to know that so many families will be helped this year thanks to our generous donors. There are so many good causes out there to support, and we are grateful to everyone who helps to make the Metro-Boston Diaper drive more successful every year.