Statements
Mission
Nashville Diaper Connection ("NashDiaper") is Middle TN's only diaper bank. NashDiaper's mission is to ensure that every baby in Middle Tennessee has enough diapers to remain clean, dry, and healthy. Diapers are not covered by any federal or state safety-net programs. We connect families with diapers because every baby deserves a healthy start.
Background
NashDiaper, founded in 2013, is Middle Tennessee's only diaper bank. 1 in 2 families in Tennessee experience diaper need. NashDiaper provides free, supplemental diapers through our partner network, who address families' other needs. We have a diaper distribution network across 26 counties in Middle Tennessee. Our partner network consists of 39 community based organizations ("CBOs"), 27 public schools, 40 health clinics, and 17 community college campuses. We have a waiting list of CBOs that have applied to join our network. According to our client surveys, receiving diapers frees up money for parents to buy food (74%), pay rent or mortgage (36%), and pay utilities (30%), and it allows them to attend work or school (65%).
Diapers are not covered by any Federal or State safety net programs such as food stamps (SNAP) or WIC. 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 diapers 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 Berkeley 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
NashDiaper addresses a critical need in the greater Nashville area: diaper need, or the lack of a sufficient supply of diapers to keep a baby or toddler clean, dry, and healthy. By providing free diapers, we reduce barriers that prevent families from accessing opportunities for a better future. We connect families with diapers because every baby deserves a healthy start.
We provide diapers to around 5,100 babies monthly. To date, we have helped diaper over 264,000 babies and given away 13.2 million diapers to families in need. "No Child Wet Behind" is the goal.
There are no other programs in Middle Tennessee that offer a consistent supply of free diapers to families in need. We operate three key programs: Community Diaper Bank, Connections, and Diapers for Diplomas. Through a network of 39 trusted community partners, our Community Diaper Bank distributes diapers and connects families to additional vital services.
Connections, launched in 2020, uses diapers to encourage increased well-child visits and routine immunizations, impacting 34,474 healthcare visits across 16 counties. Connections highlights the broader health benefits of addressing diaper need.
Diapers for Diplomas (D4D), started in 2021, supports parenting students at Middle Tennessee community colleges by providing 200 diapers monthly for a full academic year. With 303 scholarships awarded, D4D has averaged a 77% persistence or graduation rate during the academic year awarded compared to a 61% rate for comparable cohorts at participating schools.
Mayor John Cooper proclaimed the last week of September Diaper Need Awareness Week in Nashville as a part of the National Diaper Need Awareness Campaign. NashDiaper is an active member of National Diaper Bank Network. NashDiaper has received the 2018 Donna Pack Community Engagement Award as well as the 2024 Nurture the Next Community Partner Award.
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 4,000 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 10,000,000 diapers by the end 2026.
Needs
Being that we are a nonprofit and purchase the majority (90%) of our diapers and supplies, we rely heavily on donations and sponsorships. Our community can support NashDiaper in a number of ways: 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. 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 |
| TN - Dickson |
| TN - Moore |
| TN - Overton |
| TN - Warren |
| TN - Wayne |
