Babies without clean diapers are exposed to more potential health risks and women who have diaper needs for their children report more difficulty with stress management, postpartum depression, and trauma, which can impact a child’s health and development. In Lucas County, the need is great with recent figures in the Ohio Poverty Report 2019 is a poverty level of 19.8%, which is the highest in the state.

In June 2020, The Junior League of Toledo established its own diaper bank, “As We Grow”, with the goal of ending diaper need for low-income families in the Toledo area. The League will be raising money and procuring diapers, wipes, and creams from the directly benefit their community partners, who will then distribute them directly to their clients. Since 2020, the need has grown significantly. The National Diaper Bank Network completed the 2023 Diaper Check to determine current trends in diaper need. The 2023 Diaper Check found that nationally, 1 in 2 families experience diaper need. This is an increase from the previous survey, in which 1 in 3 families did not have enough diapers to keep their child clean, dry and healthy. 

The Junior League of Toledo will work with community partners to provide basic infant supplies such as diapers, wipes and diaper rash creams to Lucas County infants and families who cannot afford them, all of which are integral to infant development and the mental health of mothers.

The Junior League of Toledo currently partners with Anthem Medicaid, which provides personalized services for individuals in their Medicaid plan; Getting to 1, a coalition of nonprofit organizations that works to encourage better birth outcomes by reducing racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality in Lucas County; and the Parent Empowerment Institute, which provides parenting classes in the community to educate to reduce the risk of abuse and neglect within families. We have several other partners on our waiting list, and we need your help and donations in order to serve those who are waiting. 

Please donate today to help benefit children in need, their families, and our entire community.