Senate Diaper Drive Raises Awareness of Urgent Diapering Needs in Colorado
Event was held in support of SB21-027, a critical bill aimed at helping struggling parents access essential diaper supplies
DENVER, CO – Today, in partnership with the Women’s Lobby of Colorado and WeeCycle, Senators Brittany Pettersen and Jessie Danielson hosted a diaper drive on the west steps of the Capitol. This event was held in support of SB21-027, a bill aimed at delivering emergency relief to struggling parents in need of diaper supplies.
“The stress of not having a diaper for your baby is overwhelming. I can’t imagine facing it as a new mom. No parent should have to choose between paying for food or paying for diapers,” said Senator Brittany Pettersen, D-Lakewood. “At a time when women have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, we need to ease the burden on families, which is why I am so proud of this common-sense policy that uses existing diaper bank infrastructure to help families across the state.”
“We are the wealthiest nation in the world and yet some of our parents can’t afford diapers – that’s just unacceptable,” said Senator Jessie Danielson, D-Wheat Ridge. “It costs at least $80 per month to provide diapers for a child, which is unfeasible for families who have lost their jobs and struggle to afford rent or buy food. Our families have suffered enough over the last year – providing diapers to parents in need is a simple, effective way we can support maternal mental health, infant safety, and family wellbeing."
Diaper needs are always high, but because of COVID-19 and its impact on Colorado’s economy, the need for them has soared. It is estimated that diaper need is up 300% since the pandemic began, according to the National Diaper Bank Network. In Colorado, one of Colorado's largest diaper banks WeeCycle, anticipated providing 300,000 diapers to families in 2020. They ended up distributing 1.1 million due to COVID’s impacts on families' ability to cover their basic needs.
“We exist because we know some families need help at certain times in their lives. We are excited to see state leaders elevating and responding to diapering essentials’ needs. This legislation can help diaper banks reach families across the state, and help families with their economic security,” said Lindsey Zaback, Program Director for one of Colorado’s diaper banks WeeCycle.
This bill requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to select one or more non-profit organizations to administer diaper distribution centers to provide increased funding for diapering essentials to low-income families. This will help ensure that diaper essentials are widely available to Colorado residents in need.
Currently, there are 202,608 children under the age of three in Colorado, 33% of which are experiencing the negative effects of unmet diaper needs. This issue is compounded by the fact that diapers cannot be purchased through other public assistance programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Woman, Infants, and Children program (WIC). By using existing infrastructure with diaper organizations on the ground, Colorado will be able to get diapering essentials to all low-income residents at a minimal cost.
SB21-027 has passed the Senate and is currently awaiting consideration in the House. To track the progress of the legislation, visit leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb21-027.