Diaper drive helps Omaha organizations replenish Nebraska Diaper Bank

By John Chapman

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - A third of Nebraska families struggle to afford diapers for their children.

That’s according to the Nebraska Diaper Bank, which provides 80,000 diapers to more than 1,200 area children.

Tuesday, a few local organizations — North Omaha Community Partnership, Nebraska For Us, I Be Black Girl, and Black Men United — worked together to help take a little pressure off the Diaper Bank and help families in need.

A stack of diapers and baby wipes is a prize to such families.

“It’s something that you really don’t think about, but it is a huge expense to families,” said Tamika Mease, executive director of North Omaha Community Partnership.

She says the need for diapers in the community is growing.

“We get about, I would say, five to 10 new clients per week that call in for our diaper and wipes program,” Mease said.

The organization also helps families with baby items and formula.

“In addition to offering formula, we offer baby essential items. We offer personal hygiene items for the families, and other kids in the family,” she said.

They also help with other hygiene items and baby food — but diapers are the main focus.

Nebraska For Us Executive Director Angie Lauritsen says diapers are an expensive necessity.

“So families are having to make choices when the cost of necessary goods go up,” she said. “They’re making choices: ‘Do we fix the car? Are we late for a rental payment? Are we not going to make our medical payments?”

Many people who donate often give the smaller, or newborn diapers; but there is also a need for pull-ups or diapers for little ones moving around.

“You need those bigger diapers for a longer period of time,” Lauritsen said. “The other issues is with shelves in the  stores — less diapers are in those large diper sizes. You need more of those; that doesn’t mean that you need them less, or less often. They just come in smaller packages.”

All the diapers and baby supplies are here for free for families in need. Mease says it’s about helping people, not about income brackets.

“There are so many families that are experiencing crisis, you know; that’s not my main focus. I focus on the need,” she said.