DISCLOSURE: This National Diaper Bank post is sponsored by Huggies®.
As busy as raising 4-year-old twin boys gets, I still try to squeeze in time to make sure they are growing up to be men my wife and I can be proud of. That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to have our Las Vegas Dads Group help fight diaper need and have my twins assist in the effort.
The boys and I, along with my brothers in the Vegas Dads Group, spent a week collecting diaper donations from neighbors, friends, and family before a few of us met up at the Las Vegas Diaper Bank. There, we spent the evening creating diaper packs that the facility gives out to its clients.
The Las Vegas Diaper Bank has been helping area families in need for less than two years, but it is already an incredible community asset. Since federal subsidies don’t cover diapers or wipes, a diaper bank is a blessing for parents struggling with diaper need.
The Las Vegas facility is one of the more than 300 member diaper banks of the National Diaper Bank Network, which Huggies became a founding sponsor of in 2011 to help combat diaper need in the United States. Through its No Baby Unhugged program, Huggies has donated more than 200 million diapers and wipes over the years to the cause, and it came through again the day we helped by providing a generous donation.
That night at the Las Vegas Diaper Bank, I spent some time talking with its executive director, Carlye Davis. I could hear the passion for the project in her voice, and it was infectious. She explained that one in three U.S. families struggle to provide diapers for their children, often struggling to keep their child dry, clean and healthy.
“The next time you pull up to a three-way intersection, keep in mind that it’s a high probability that one of the individuals at that intersection does not have diapers for their baby, or not enough money to buy them,” she said.
This is one of the many facts about our country’s dire diaper need revealed in the recent Diaper Need and Its Impact on U.S. Families study by the National Diaper Bank Network and Huggies. The study also revealed:
- 57 percent of parents miss work or school due to a lack of sufficient diapers required by their child’s care or early education program
- 73 percent of moms and dads feel they are not being good parents when their children are left too long in a dirty diaper
“Right now, the Las Vegas Diaper Bank is open only one day a week (Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), but they plan to be open more as donations continue to grow,” Davis said. Each recipient at the bank is entitled to two packs of diapers per month (only one if the diapers are size 4 or above).
I’m proud that my fellow dads joined me in teaching our children the importance of giving back. It’s something that even with busy schedules, I will always make time for. This volunteer experience really helped open our eyes to the need in our community and was a great moment of bonding with our children, as well.
You can join City Dads Group and Huggies in the fight to combat #DiaperNeed in these ways:
- Support the National Diaper Bank Network by making a monetary contribution at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org, visiting a local diaper bank or even hosting a diaper drive.
- Donate your Huggies Rewards Points to the National Diaper Bank Network by visiting No Baby Unhugged to learn more about diaper need, and donate your Huggies Rewards points to help combat diaper need.
About our sponsor
Huggies believes deeply in the Power of Hugs, which is why every diaper and wipe is inspired by a parent’s embrace. The Huggies No Baby Unhugged program helps ensure all babies get the hugs they need to thrive by supporting hugging programs in hospitals and donating diapers across the country. Learn how you can help at Huggies.com. #HuggiesCouncil #ad
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