Diaper Packets for the Saco Diaper Bank

Like Kiwanis, the Saco Diaper Bank, a vital community resource located in Saco, Maine, is driven by a passion for helping families in need. The organization started to provide diapers to mothers facing financial hardship. Through generous donations and community support, like our Kiwanis New England and Bermuda District event this past weekend, the Saco Diaper Bank distributes over 80,000 diapers annually.

Because of the generosity of Kiwanis clubs who donated not only diapers, wipes, ointments and lotions, but also their time, just over 5,000 diapers were packed at our Kiwanis event!!

According to a study on diaper insecurity in the United States by the National Diaper Bank Network, 47 percent of families surveyed reported diaper need in 2023. This is a marked increase from the previous study, which found about 33 percent of families reported diaper need.  In order to afford diapers, families may sometimes need to make reductions in other areas of their household budget.

Seventy percent of those who reported diaper need felt stressed or anxious about their role as a parent or caregiver, and 53 percent felt they were judged as a bad parent or caregiver because they could not afford diapers. In fact, Pam Mohlin, founder of the bank said, “a low-income mother always knows how many diapers she has.”