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Georgia's Diaper Bank Coalition holds first Diaper Needs Awareness Day at the Capitol
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On Wednesday, March 13, 2024, the Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition hosted the first Diaper Need Awareness Day at the Georgia Capitol.
Representatives from Georgia’s four diaper banks and the National Diaper Bank Network gathered to learn about advocacy and educate Georgia lawmakers on diaper needs.
The event served to draw attention to rising costs of diapers and the families in the state who are struggling to afford these essential child care items.
Nonprofit organizations from around the state participate, including Helping Mamas, Athens Area Diaper Bank, Over the Moon from Savannah and Diaper Bank of North Georgia, based in Gainesville.
Helping Mamas founder and CEO Jamie Lackey, based in Norcross, explains that the coalition’s goal is to educate Georgia lawmakers on the need and the work being done in Georgia by diaper banks.
“What we’re seeing is that 1 in 2 families are struggling to afford diapers and they’re unable to purchase them,” Lackey said to GPB. “We’re also seeing an increase. It’s not just low-income families; it’s also middle-income families that are struggling to afford diapers right now, and the need keeps rising.”
Savannah’s Over the Moon Diaper Bank representative, Katie Griffith, also said that the need for diapers is important to families in Coastal Georgia.
“47% of families experienced diaper need and need support for diapers,” she said. “Almost 30% of middle-class working families also need diapers, so they’re part of that 47% of families. So, this affects everyone.”
The incentive for Diaper Need Awareness Day comes after the Georgia House of Representatives failed to pass House Bill 211 out of committee in the current legislative session.
The legislation would have exempted the 4% sales tax from diapers, undergarments, and pads throughout Georgia for children or adults “who experience incontinence,” per the bill.
“There’s no federal or state-funded program that allows for the purchase of diapers, and while I know the tax may not seem significant, it is for a lot of these families and would make a huge difference for them and their ability to afford diapers,” Lackey said.
After a meeting in the Coverdell Legislative Office Building, the coalition split into groups to spread awareness of diaper needs among the elected officials of their districts.
Zoey Craft, Manager of Legislative Policy with the National Diaper Bank Network, explained the importance of diaper bank leaders talking with elected officials.
“On one hand, a lot of elected officials and legislators who may not have had kids before simply aren’t familiar with the scale of the [diaper] need,” she said. “Just how many diapers families and children can go through in a day or a week.”
Craft added, “We know that our diaper banks are doing incredible work to advocate for our families, but they can’t do it alone either. If we incorporate their work in coordination with local, state and federal-level elected officials, we can create the change we need.”
The Gold Dome was filled with advocates representing all types of organizations jockeying for a moment with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.
Lackey, who had the opportunity to speak with Democratic Sen. Kim Jackson of the 4th District in Stone Mountain, praised the senator’s reception of the efforts of the coalition’s goal.
“I spoke with Sen. Jackson, and she was so appreciative of the work being done on behalf of Georgia’s families and supported the work we were doing,” she said. Following Diaper Need Awareness Day, the new coalition of Georgia’s diaper banks will continue to advocate for diaper needs around the state as they return to their communities and share diapers.
The group hopes to follow up with Republican senators including Rick Williams and Kay Kirkpatrick.
Now that more elected officials are keen on the initiative, Craft said it helps ensure Georgia families can afford diapers in their households.
The diaper bank coalition will continue to focus on having the diaper tax legislation reintroduced in next year’s session.
“I think one of our main priorities is still passing an exemption on state diaper tax, as well as continuing to advocate for funding diaper banks,” Craft said. “The Georgia Diaper Bank Coalition is new, so I think this was a year of laying the groundwork and helping to spread awareness and education about diaper coalition so that next session, we can also go in and be effective in getting legislation.”
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