Diaper need is a significant but often overlooked issue. Access to an adequate supply of clean diapers is necessary for the health and well-being of Pennsylvania’s children and incontinent adults. Insufficient diaper changing can lead to health problems such as diaper rash, bacterial and yeast infections, skin irritation and breakdown, and other potential long-term conditions. A lack of access to clean diapers does not just have public health implications, but also economic for many Pennsylvanian families. In order to draw attention to this important issue, we will soon be introducing a resolution to recognize the week of September 15-21, 2025, as "Diaper Need Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania. 

 

According to the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN), 1 in 2 families struggle to provide enough diapers for their children. A supply of diapers is often required for infants and toddlers to attend and participate in childcare programs, which many working families depend upon to pursue and maintain employment. Unfortunately, 1 in 4 parents miss work or school because they cannot afford the diapers required to leave their children in childcare. Furthermore, for seniors, incontinence products can cost up to $1,000 per year which can be unaffordable for many seniors with low or fixed incomes. According to the Western Pennsylvania Diaper Bank (WPDB), adult diapers cost almost three times the price of infant diapers and are not covered by Medicare or many insurance programs. 

 

As elected officials, we can help raise awareness of this pressing issue and acknowledge the remarkable work of community organizations that ensure hundreds of thousands of children and incontinent adults have access to clean, dry, and healthy conditions. By doing so, we demonstrate our collective commitment to addressing this critical need for our most vulnerable constituents. 

 

In conjunction with Diaper Need Awareness Week, we will host the 11th Annual Capitol Diaper Drive. During the week of the diaper drive, packages of new, unopened diapers and incontinence products, as well as monetary donations, will be collected. There will be collection bins located outside each of our offices during this time frame, as well as drop-off bins located in the Main Capitol Rotunda and the East Wing Rotunda. Information with Capitol Diaper Drive dates will be forthcoming. 

 

We hope you will join us in cosponsoring this resolution and participating in the diaper drive.