The White House’s #DiaperGap Initiative Offers Conservative Solutions
Last week, I wrote about the White House’s new initiative to help provide diapers for women in need. When I saw the effort, I was immediately inspired to help — but also wary of a big government program where communities and individuals could do the job at less cost — and better.
It turns out, there are currently no federal dollars going towards diapers inside the program. My column caught the attention of a White House employee working on the program who wanted to let me know that. I was certainly glad for the clarity — and excited to see the Obama Administration supporting private companies & individuals to help solve this problem.
President Obama has called for $10 million to “test effective ways” to help with this problem and it’s clear the Administration would like to provide federal assistance, as with SNAP, WIC & Medicaid. But force is not necessary now or in the future if we utilize the options already at our disposal.
After investigating the program further, I discovered it actually employs quite a few solutions where everyone can come together. Not a one of us wants to see a baby go without a clean diaper, so it’s important to find these common ground actions.
First off, just making the problem public is wonderful. Now, people know — and that awareness if FREE. So I hope anyone reading this piece will stop what you are doing and figure out how you can help TODAY, if not on a regular basis as I’ve chosen to do.
Secondly, they put on the program with the National Diaper Bank, a non-profit dedicated to this specific need. Head over to their website now to learn more about what they do.
You should also look into partnering up with your local Crisis Pregnancy Center, which also provides diapers for those in need. As I mentioned in my column, churches are also an excellent place to talk with about starting programs to help those with this need. Don’t underestimate the power of your community!
Lastly, the White House is working with diaper companies to help lower the cost of diapers overall (like removing expensive graphics) and enroll individuals & other non-profits in programs to help distribute bulk diapers at a discounted rate to women who may not be able to get them elsewhere. Because many poor families live in rural areas or don’t have access to the Internet, it can be hard for them to get diapers in bulk at a lower cost as it is for others.
One thing that’s not mentioned in the initiative is the value of using cloth diapers, something my own mom used for my sister and I when we were babies. It can be costly to collect your initial stock of cloth diapers so I’d encourage you to donate to “Giving Diapers, Giving Hope,” a company that aims to provide free cloth diapers. Cloth diapers may not sound appealing but they are a good option if you can make it work.
Overall, this effort is all about the individual and private companies being pro-active. Though they may try to pass a bill with tax dollars to subsidize diapers in the future, let’s eliminate the need for that. If individuals and communities come together, we can take care of the diaper gap. I hope anyone who’s had a baby, held a baby, wants a baby or loved a baby — and has the means — will take action today.
