• April 28, 2023
  • Posted by GECU Cares
  • 3 read

What Is K.I.N.D. Day & How Can I Support It?

When most of us hear about K.I.N.D. Day, we assume the day has something to do with kindness. However, it’s actually a movement to provide something parents and caregivers need: diapers for babies and toddlers. K.I.N.D. (Kids In Need of Diapers) Day is observed on May 4 to help families who don’t have the funds to purchase diapers or access to low-cost or free diapers. In 2013, Candace Smith started K.I.N.D. Day to help struggling families in her Florida community. News about this important cause spread quickly and thousands of families came together to help those in need.

The Diapers 4 Good Project Candace led was quickly overwhelmed by families requesting diapers; she has been committed to ensuring no baby or toddler suffers in a wet or soiled diaper due to cost or access challenges. You might be surprised to learn, depending on the age of the child, that diapers need to be changed 10-12 times a day and babies need approximately 6,000 diapers in the first two years of their lives.1 In the United States, 1 in 3 families struggle to afford disposable diapers.2 In one research study, 36% of American Mothers reduced spending on other necessities to pay for diapers.1 Considering an average supply of diapers costs approximately $80 a month, this single expense can cause an extreme financial strain on lower- and even middle-class families.3

K.I.N.D. Day has been observed all over the world for nearly 10 years, helping to raise awareness about the critical need for diapers. GECU has partnered with a local organization dedicated to this cause in Cincinnati, Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank. Sweet Cheeks, a member of the National Diaper Bank Network, distributes over two million diapers a year through 46 different partner organizations in Northern Kentucky and Southern Ohio including non-profits like the Brighton Center, Mason Food Pantry, and Pathways to Home, just to name a few. Sweet Cheeks always needs diapers, monetary donations, and volunteers.

Be Concerned, one of the 2023 GECU Giveback Partners with locations in Covington and Erlanger, is another nonprofit that has a diaper program. When supplies are available, they will send families home with diapers, wipes, and formula, as part of their larger food panty program. Local nonprofits like Be Concerned rely heavily on community donations and volunteers.

The need for diapers continues to grow, so, how can you help? To support K.I.N.D. Day, or anytime of the year, consider the following:

  • Make a diaper or monetary donation. Honor K.I.N.D. Day by donating diapers to Sweet Cheeks Diaper Bank or Be Concerned. The National Diaper Bank Network also accepts monetary donations.
  • Spread the word and advocate for this cause. Advocacy is essential since people may not recognize the need. This cause often goes unnoticed because we take for granted that diapers are an affordable part of a happy, healthy, and hygienic childhood.
  • Host a Diaper Drive or Diaper Party. Become a part of the K.I.N.D. movement by collecting diapers at your place of worship, a community center, or in the workplace. The National Diaper Bank Network offers tools to host a diaper drive


We hope you enjoyed learning a little more about K.I.N.D. Day and this important cause.
If you choose to get involved with one of the organizations above, tell us about it! 
Please email GECU Cares at: [email protected]
#GECUCares
 

Back to blog home