Senator Murray: “We need to help families by bringing down costs and lifting stress off their shoulders and, as any parent will tell you, diaper needs can be a huge cost and an enormous source of stress.”
(Washington, DC) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, and Human Services (LHHS), announced Washington state organizations would receive $2 million in funding to provide diapers to families in need. The funding comes from a new pilot program, administered through the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which Senator Murray championed and fought to include in last years’ government funding bill in her role as Chair of the LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee. The Diaper Distribution Pilot Program for Families in Need was launched on September 27, 2022.
The pilot program provides funding to states and community organizations to help provide diapers to families with low incomes—and this year, two of the seven pilot projects are in Washington state—including the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency, which will help distribute diapers to Tribal communities.
“Every single day, I work hard to lift stress off parents’ shoulders—because no parent should be worried about getting diapers for their child. But right now, as any parent will tell you, diapers can be a huge cost—and one in three families with a child who needs diapers, struggles to afford them,” said Senator Murray.
“Moms, parents, and babies deserve better, that’s why I fought for this critical program to support diaper banks and get diapers to families that need them,” Senator Murray continued. “I’m proud to see that two of the pilot programs will launch in Washington state, and will provide diapers to families from Pasco to Seattle, including to Tribal communities in the South Puget Sound. This is an important step forward, and I’ll keep fighting to get Washington state families the support they need, on everything from diapers to child care.”
The Office of Community Services (OCS) at HHS has announced the recipients of its Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot grant funding, also known as the Diaper Distribution Pilot. Two of the programs will launch in Washington state, including:
- The Washington state Community Action Partnership, which received $800,000 in funding and will partner with the following organizations to provide diapers and diapering supplies to families in need:
- Benton-Franklin Community Action Committee, Pasco
- Lower Columbia Community Action Program, Longview
- Multi-Service Center, Federal Way
- WestSide Baby Diaper Bank, Seattle
- Olympic Community Action Programs, Port Angeles
- Neighborhood House, Seattle
- The South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency (SPIPA) received $1.2 million for SPIPA’s Diaper Distribution on Reservations program. This will serve the
- the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation,
- the Nisqually Tribe,
- the Shoalwater Bay Tribe,
- the Skokomish Tribe,
- the Squaxin Island Tribe