COVID-19 Relief: Miami Diaper Bank Taking Action Unforeseen Emergencies Intensify Financially Struggling Families’ Need for Diapers South Florida – March 2020 – The Miami Diaper Bank (MDB) is always committed to providing diapers and baby essentials to needy families throughout South Florida, and COVID-19 is increasing the demand. We need your help to meet the growing numbers. The current health crisis does not change the fact that diapers are not covered by food stamps or WIC, and because of this crisis, household incomes are shrinking. People have lost, and could lose their jobs. That means that families who were already struggling financially may now be in even worse financial shape, finding the cost of diapers to be too much. That reality is detrimental for their babies. The impact of not having enough clean diapers can be extremely severe. Babies can suffer from painful diaper rashes and infections, and also experience long-term effects such as kidney damage.

As states, counties, and cities around the country are encouraging social distancing, and imposing new regulations on businesses, institutions and organizations; so far essential operations like the Miami Diaper Bank are allowed to continue as normal. The non-profit is working alongside its partner agencies on the front lines of this pandemic, including Farm Share, Midwest Food Bank, Keys Healthy Start Coalition and the Florida Department of Health in Palm Beach County, to get much needed essentials and supplies to families in need. Miami Diaper Bank is also leaning on support from national partners such as Baby2Baby, to secure diaper donations for the community. Miami Diaper Bank typically accepts both monetary donations and diaper donations; however, during this crisis we are strictly asking for financial help. That will allow us to adhere to the social distancing guidelines that officials are strongly recommending. Miami Diaper Bank has access to diapers at a discounted rate. Therefore, we can maximize the value of monetary donations by ordering diapers for less, and shipping them directly to our strategic partner agencies for distribution. That process will minimize logistics, and limit the number of people touching the diapers and other baby essentials.

Donations made to Miami Diaper Bank’s COVID-19 Relief Fund will go toward purchasing, transporting and distributing diapers and baby essentials to the children and families whose lives are impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Emergency response is part of our organization’s history and culture. Miami Diaper Bank received national recognition for its Hurricane Irma Disaster Relief Campaign which distributed over 1-million diapers to the smallest victims of that natural disaster. Although this health crisis is unprecedented, we are prepared to serve our community. To learn more about Miami Diaper Bank’s COVID-19 Relief efforts, please visit: http://bit.ly/EMERGENCYRELIEFFAQS To learn more about the issue of diaper need, please visit (Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6qfzrxnReQ To make a donation, please visit: http://bit.ly/Covid19relief About Miami Diaper Bank: Founded in 2013, the Miami Diaper Bank is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and first established diaper bank in Miami. The organization expanded its service area in 2017 to serve families across 6 South Florida counties, including Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Lee, Collier and Monroe. Miami Diaper Bank’s mission is to collect and distribute diapers and other baby essentials to low-income families and their children, while also raising awareness about the need for diaper donations in the South Florida area. Miami Diaper Bank receives support from local organizations such as The Children’s Trust, The Miami Foundation, Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida, as well as cross-country support from Baby2Baby National Network and the National Diaper Bank Network. Miami Diaper Bank has donated over 2.5 million diapers since it was established.