1 in 2 Families Can’t Afford Diapers. It’s Time for a Change.

September 24, 2024

As a new mom, I have a deepened understanding about how many diapers a newborn goes through daily. Spoiler alert: it’s at least a dozen. I also now understand the anxiety of ensuring that your little one is set up for success. Everything in those early days is a question. Is she eating enough? Was that a random cough or is she sick? Should her poop be that color?! Google quickly becomes your best friend and worst enemy. What I cannot imagine is adding another layer of stress in struggling to afford a necessity, like diapers. Unfortunately, this is the case for a staggering 1 in 2 U.S. families.

This must change. That’s why when the National Diaper Bank Network reached out, we were quick to act to help amplify their important message. The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) is a nonprofit organization that provides basic necessities required to build the strong foundations all children, families, and individuals need to thrive. Based in New Haven, Connecticut, NDBN has more than 240-member diaper bank programs serving nearly 320,000 children throughout the country each month. 


Individuals can support NDBN in many ways, including making a donation, hosting a diaper drive, volunteering at a local diaper bank, reaching out to elected officials, or engaging on social media using the hashtags: #EndDiaperNeed and #BasicsArentBasic. There is no better time to act than this week, which is National Diaper Need Awareness Week (September 23-29). OUTFRONT has donated billboards across the U.S. to get out the message and drive people to CantAffordDiapers.org, where they can seamlessly make a donation. The goal of this campaign, and the week as a whole, is to draw attention to the issue of diaper need in the U.S. and inspire people to take action. 

Shannon Bromley, National Associate Creative Director at OUTFRONT STUDIOS and a mother herself, designed a series of eye-catching and simple billboards and transit media creative intended to increase general awareness of the shocking statistic of need in the U.S. and drive people to action.  


Supporting PSAs and non-profit organizations is part of our purpose here at OUTFRONT. We help people, places, and businesses grow stronger. Each year we donate about $10 million in media value to important causes, as we know the strength of our billboards in driving success not only for our clients’ businesses but for the greater good. As a new mom, I am especially proud of our commitment to help families in the U.S., because the only thing you should worry about when changing your baby’s diaper is not getting poop on yourself. 

Author: Liz Rave, Vice President, Marketing @ OUTFRONT

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