Help the annual Department of Ob-Gyn Diaper Drive make an impact

On average, diapers for a new baby can cost a family anywhere from $30 to $80 per month, according to TrustedCare. These hefty prices for a necessity add an unneeded burden for many families. In 2010, the UW School of Medicine and Public Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology created the annual Diaper Drive in recognition of the financial burden of buying diapers, and to help deliver these products to families in need. Every year in August, the Department of Ob-Gyn brings in donations to help buy diapers for local organizations that support families with infants and toddlers in our community.

The department’s partnerships with various community non-profits initially brought in a total of 2,200 diapers. That total has increased over the last 14 years, with a grand total of over 100,000 diapers distributed to community-serving organizations around the community. 

In recent years, the Diaper Drive transitioned to collecting online, monetary donations only. By working with the local health care system to purchase diapers, the Department of Ob-Gyn can stretch every donation a lot further: while a pack of diapers at a supermarket may cost $30 or more, the department can buy packs for as little as $2.20. This enables donations to be spread over a larger amount of supplies, creating a greater impact on the community. 

Community partners like ConnectRx, YWCA, DIAS, River Food Pantry, and more, benefit from the Diaper Drive immensely.

“I would definitely say that community health workers [benefit] because it allows us a sense of relief to be able to address our patients in real time without diapers being a barrier anymore,” said Kimberly Ashford, community health worker supervisor for ConnectRx, care coordination program that helps providers working with Black pregnant patients navigate supportive resources for patients that are available in the community.

The Diaper Drive provides products families know and trust, as well. “We found that a lot of babies can’t use generic diapers because it would cause things like diaper rash,” Ashford said. “The diapers that the drive provided were brand-name diapers that most families would request or be familiar with.”

Diapers bought with donations go to babies not just in the Dane County area, but families from surrounding Wisconsin counties as well as Illinois families who come to the Madison area for birth and postpartum care. This increase in potential patients has also increased demand for diapers, making donations this year as important as ever to ensure the Diaper Drive can serve as many families as possible.

“Groups like ConnectRx are extremely grateful for this partnership,” Ashford said. “Without [it] we wouldn’t be able to address the needs of both infants that have allergies to other diapers,” and families that need a little extra support.

Learn more about the UW Department of Ob-Gyn Diaper Drive and how you can support it here. 

**by Ob-Gyn Communications Intern Paige Stevenson