The Diaper Bank

One in every two families struggles to afford diapers.

3 in 5 parents miss work or school because they can’t afford the diapers required to leave their baby in childcare.

28% of parents experiencing diaper need reported skipping meals to afford diapers.

Imagine having to choose between diapering and feeding your child. Imagine not being able to go to work or school because you don’t have diapers to send with your child to daycare or an early education program. Imagine your child having to spend from dawn to dusk in the same diaper because you don’t have the money to buy the six to ten diapers she needs in a day.  What you are imagining is the reality for one in two families in the U.S. who struggle to provide their baby with clean, dry diapers. Those experiencing this “diaper need” have difficulty with stress management and depression, which in turn negatively affects their children’s health and development.

The JLNO Diaper Bank is committed to ensuring that all babies have enough diapers to stay clean, dry and healthy. Over our 10 year history, we have distributed over 9,600,000 diapers through our community partners—improving infant health, reducing parental stress and removing barriers to accessing childcare.

2 in 5 Women Have Struggled to Purchase Period Products in the Past Year Due to Lack of Income.

One-third of low-income women reported missing work, school or similar events due to lack of access to period supplies.

There is no federal aid program that can be used to purchase period products.

As with other hygiene products not covered by government programs such as WIC and SNAP (food stamps), women must make difficult trade-offs to cope with the expense of menstrual pads and tampons. They skip rent payments or go without groceries. They use fewer products at the expense of health and hygiene. They substitute by using toilet paper to line their underwear and then worry about embarrassing accidents.  The inability to afford personal essentials increases emotional stress and stigma. It drives women to miss school, work or social engagements. 

As a natural extension of our Diaper Bank, in 2019, the Junior League of New Orleans joined the Alliance for Period Supplies to help get period products to individuals in need.  In addition to providing period products through our distribution partners, this program endeavors to raise awareness about “period poverty” and educate people on the barriers faced by women and girls unable to afford period supplies. Just like women can’t go to work or attend school if babies can’t be in diapers at daycare, women can’t work if they don’t have the supplies they need on a monthly basis.  Since 2020, the JLNO Diaper Bank has distributed over 460,000 period products.

Approximately 25 million people in the United States are affected by adult incontinence, including approximately 15 million women. 

Americans spend an estimated $400 million a year on adult diapers. A person can spend roughly $200-300 per month on necessary incontinence supplies, making finances difficult for individuals on fixed incomes. 

Life events such as pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause are major reasons that women begin to experience incontinence, with 24% of women between the ages of 18 and 44 and 23% of women over the age of 60 experiencing incontinence.  Adults dealing with incontinence often experience mental health challenges, with 90% of patients feeling either isolated, depressed or hopeless as a result of their condition.  Adult incontinence can profoundly impact an individual’s emotional well-being and quality of life. Due to stigma and embarrassment, there is often underreporting, and many individuals affected do not openly discuss their condition or seek care.

In 2019, as a natural extension of our efforts in distributing diapers and period supplies, the Junior League of New Orleans has begun partnering with community organizations to distribute adult incontinence products to individuals in need through our JLNO Diaper Bank.  In 2023-2024, the JLNO diaper bank distributed 13,920 in adult incontinence products.  JLNO strives to provide relief for the most vulnerable populations in New Orleans by helping to ensure that all individuals have the material basic necessities they require to live a quality life.

Volunteer.  We wrap all of our products to prepare them for distribution in the community. This helps us in many ways, including inventory, minimizing storage needs for our partner organizations, and consistent quality and cleanliness. Packaging this way also allows for a more equitable distribution.  Email diaperbank@jlno.org if you or your organization is interested in volunteering.

Donate Products. Drop-off products at JLNO Diaper Bank Warehouse (1109 North Al Davis Road, Unit A New Orleans, LA 70123, Wednesdays, 8:30 am until 4:30pm), or JLNO Headquarters (319 Carondelet St., New Orleans, LA 70118, Monday through Friday, 8:30 am until 4:30pm).  JLNO does accept products that have been opened.

Make a Financial Contribution. Make a financial contribution with our Dollars to Diapers Program.  Our relationships with wholesalers and corporate donors make your donated dollars go further.

Purchase from our Amazon Wish List.   Our most needed items can be purchased from this list and will be shipped directly to us.

Host a Supply Drive. Motivate your school, business, church, or social group to collect and purchase adult incontinence products.  Click here to see our Drive Tool Kit and learn more about how to host a drive in your community.

Share Information. Use social media or other digital platforms to increase awareness of and access to essential hygiene items.

Do you need diapers, period or adult incontinence products?

If you are in need of products, please see the below list of nonprofits organizations that will provide directly to you. The JLNO Diaper Bank teams up with these incredible groups of social service agencies to distribute diapers directly to those in need.  

The JLNO Diaper Bank collaborates with 43 social service organizations across the state to distribute diapers and other essential products to families in need. Our partners are doing an amazing job, providing aid to families in various service areas, including healthcare, housing and education. Their programs include family resource centers, libraries, clinics and many other services aimed at providing comprehensive care to families. Our goal is to support our partners in their efforts by providing diapers and other products, giving them an added resource to enhance their services. If you are interested in learning about the partner application process, please email diaperbank@jlno.org. Below, you can find a list of some of our current partners.

Partners:

• Boys Town
• CASA New Orleans
• Catholic Charities
• Clover (formerly Kingsley House)
• Community Center for Life
• Covenant House
• Cuddly Bear CDC
• Educare
• First Pilgrims Baptist Church
• Giggles Child Development Center
• Goodwill Industries
• It Takes a Village
• Kenner Hispanic Resource Center
• Luke’s House
• N.O. Children’s Health Project
• Open Minds Open Hearts
• Operations Pathways
• St Thomas Health
• Unity New Orleans
• Weatherford Academy ELC
• Woodmere Learning Center
• Access pregnancy
• Total Community Action
• START Corporation

Contact Us: diaperbank@jlno.org