Statements
Mission
Nashville Diaper Connection's mission is to ensure that every baby in Middle Tennessee has enough diapers to remain clean, dry and healthy. Our diaper bank provides emergency supplies of infant/toddler diapers for our most vulnerable neighbors. Meeting this critical need pays off. Babies living in healthier, lower stress environments are more likely to be happier, more successful citizens of Tennessee when they are adolescents, teens and adults.
Background
Diapers are not covered by any Federal or State safety net program such as food stamps (SNAP) or WIC program. If a family can't afford diapers, a baby may spend extended periods, sometimes days in the same soiled diapers. This increases the likelihood of unnecessary health problems including severe diaper rash and increased chance of infections. Babies in wet or dirty diapers are crying babies. And crying babies and their mothers are more likely to be abused by already over-stressed caregivers. The brain grows to 90% of its adult size by age 3. Experiences in the 1st years of life are extremely important for a child's healthy development and lifelong learning. Emotional, language, and motor skill development is delayed or damaged by environmental stressors and other risk factors. Infants and toddlers that are reared in lower stress environments are more likely to have better outcomes as adults. Diapers are expensive, costing over $1,100 per year for each child - more if a parent must rely on inner-city convenience stores. Cloth diaper are not an option for the families we serve. If you are poor, you probably don't own a washing machine and most Laundromats don't allow washing dirty diapers. Most licensed childcare providers, especially free and subsidized, require that parents leave a day's supply of disposable diapers for their child. If parents cannot access childcare, they cannot work or attend school. Infants and toddlers that are denied quality childcare miss important early childhood development opportunities. According to a UC Berkley study in 2011, children that participate in early childhood education are 2.5 times more likely to go on to higher education. Any barrier to work or education perpetuates the cycle of poverty.
Impact
So far Nashville Diaper Connection has: Provided over 392,000 packs of diapers totaling over 9,800,000 diapers to Middle Tennessee children in-need. Supported by over 150 diaper drives by area churches, businesses, and schools. Collaborates with 83 leading Middle Tennessee community service and family support resources to get diapers to families that need them. Mayor John Cooper proclaimed the last week of September 2023 Diaper Need Awareness Week in Nashville as a part of the National Diaper Need Awareness Campaign. Active member of National Diaper Bank Network. Received the 2018 Donna Pack Community Engagement Award. Expanded our partnership with MNPS Community Achieves Program to provide diapers to 51 Nashville public schools, 33 clinics and 16 community college campuses. What's next: Raise community awareness of diaper need in Middle Tennessee. Increase our outreach by adding new partner agencies to improve geographic and cultural coverage in metro Middle Tennessee. Engage over 2,500 volunteers in every aspect of our mission. Broaden our base of support with new and returning diaper drive sponsors and supporters. Diaper more babies by donating 2,600,000 diapers in 2023.
Needs
Host diaper drives for diapers and dollars at your place of work, worship or play for Nashville Diaper Connection. Provide financial support. $1,750 will fund one day of diaper donation toward our mission of leaving 'No Child Wet Behind' in Middle Tennessee in 2023. Sort, count, and repackage donated diapers. Deliver diapers to our partner social service agencies. Share information about diaper need in Middle Tennessee with friends and family.
Board Chair Statement
People are always asking 'Why diapers?' Then they are stunned to learn that there are no social safety nets for this essential need to a child's health and well being. Or that there are so many places in our caring community to get emergency food or shelter, but so few where a mother can reliably get an emergency supply of diapers. Or to learn that a disheartening number of babies are forced to spend extended periods of time in one dirty diaper because their parents can't afford to buy a package of clean, dry diapers. The results of an inadequate supply of clean diapers is more profound than a diaper rash. Many pediatric and social service professionals consider an adequate supply of clean, dry diapers to be an effective way to reduce maternal depression, family stress and early childhood physical abuse. CDC researchers are coming to understand that certain adverse early childhood experiences are major risk factors for social, emotional and cognitive impairment. Such impairments are predictors of academic and developmental success. We cannot address all of the factors that are barriers to children developing in to healthy, successful adolescents, teenagers and adults. We can help take one small step toward healthier, happier babies and families. With your help, we can move toward 'No Child Wet Behind' in Middle Tennessee. - Doug Adair, Co Founder, Nashville Diaper Connection
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Human Services - Emergency Assistance (Food, Clothing, Cash) |
| Secondary Category: | Human Services - Family Services |
| Tertiary Category: | Human Services - Children's and Youth Services |
Areas Served
Middle Tennessee has approximately 35,843 babies born every year to mothers living in poverty. These mothers and infants face considerable challenges - shortage of adequate housing, alarming levels of food insecurity, greater chance of substance abuse in the home. Struggling to provide a child with an essential need like clean diapers should not be one of those challenges. But it is. We are proud of the 2,600,000+ diapers we will donate this year but it is only 1.3% of the need. We can do more.
| TN - Davidson |
| TN - Montgomery |
| TN - Rutherford |
| TN - Wilson |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Sumner |
| TN - Maury |
| TN - Putnam |
| TN - Robertson |
| TN - Coffee |
| TN - Bedford |
| TN - Lawrence |
| TN - Cheatham |
| TN - Marshall |
| TN - Lincoln |
| TN - Giles |
| TN - Hickman |
| TN - Smith |
| TN - Lewis |
| TN - Trousdale |
| TN - Perry |
