OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — A new non-profit organization called Omaha Better Birth Project is working to decrease inequities in childbirth by providing grants for doulas and childbirth education. They’ve just started a diaper drive to help curb diaper poverty.
“Nebraska actually sees a higher rate of diaper need than across the nation. A lot of people don’t know that. COVID has really increased that need significantly,” Samantha Wall, Executive Director, Omaha Better Birth Project said.
On average, babies go through eight to ten diapers a day – that’s about $80 per month.
“Diaper need can be a huge impact on families,” she said. “This means they have to choose between buying food or buying diapers. And when diapers aren’t changed frequently enough this is a major health risk to the baby and it really puts families in a difficult situation.”
Many daycares require families to provide their own diapers.
“If the families can’t give those diapers the parent has to stay home with them,” Wall said. “And many families experience the loss of their employment because they missed too many days of work because their baby needs to stay home.”
Omaha Better Birth Project came up with the Fresh Start Diaper program.
“Our goal is to collect 7,200 diapers and 240 packs of wipes, and this would fund the entire first year of this program,” Wall said.
It will provide 20 families in Omaha with diapers and wipes for the baby's first year.
They're collecting diaper and wipe donations at Float District, Resilient health and wellness, Popple Family Chiropractic, and through their Amazon wish list, through the end of May.
In June, they'll begin taking applications on their website for families in need.