Supporting Richardson Families: All Moms' Second Annual Diaper Drive
by Alicia Auping
When All Moms launched our first community diaper drive last year, we weren't sure what to expect. Would busy Richardson families understand why this mattered? Would our goal of 5,000 diapers feel too ambitious?
The answer came quickly: our community collected over 6,000 diapers in two weeks.
Now we're back for our second annual drive (September 14-30), and we're thinking about what that number actually represents. Not just the diapers themselves, but the relief on a mom’s face when she doesn't have to choose between buying diapers and buying groceries. The ability to leave her child at daycare so she can go to work. The simple dignity of knowing her baby will stay clean and healthy.
Despite being an essential need, diapers cannot be purchased with SNAP (food stamps) or WIC benefits. This gap in our social safety net leaves many families in an impossible position, forced to choose between diapers and other necessities like food or medicine.
The scale of this problem affects our neighbors right here in Richardson. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, families spend an average of $936 annually per child on diapers - each child needing 6-8 diapers a day on average, with newborns requiring up to 12. That adds up to 2,000-3,000 diapers per year per child, costing families $936 annually. For many families, this represents 5-10% of their total income - a significant burden for those already struggling.
A 2013 study found that almost 30% of mothers couldn't afford to change their child's diaper as often as they'd like. One in three cut back on basics like food, utilities, or childcare to afford sufficient diapers. This can mean leaving a baby in a soiled diaper longer than necessary, increasing health risks and preventing parents from accessing childcare needed to work.
These aren't abstract statistics. They're Richardson families making impossible choices because essential needs aren't covered by existing support systems.
This year, our diaper drive runs from September 14-30, partnering with Network of Community Ministries to distribute collected diapers. We discovered they had a particularly urgent need for diapers right now, and as an organization deeply embedded in our Richardson community, they're the ideal partner for this year's drive.
Our goal remains ambitious: 5,000 diapers, though last year proved our community capable of much more.
Local Richardson businesses are stepping up again. Staycation Coffee and barre3 Richardson have generously agreed to serve as drop-off locations, along with Arapaho United Methodist Church, making it convenient for everyone to contribute. This partnership underscores that addressing diaper need isn't just an All Moms initiative - it's our entire community recognizing a shared responsibility to support vulnerable families.
All Moms exists to support Richardson mothers and families, and diaper need represents exactly the kind of practical challenge our organization was created to address. When we volunteer at distribution events, we see the immediate impact: moms who can focus on caring for their children instead of worrying about basic supplies, families who can access childcare and employment because they have adequate diapers, and children who stay healthy and comfortable.
There's something powerful about addressing need that's both urgent and invisible. Diaper need doesn't make headlines or inspire viral campaigns. It's the kind of quiet struggle that happens behind closed doors, in families doing everything right but unable to make the math work.
When we collect diapers, we're not just providing supplies. We're saying we see this struggle, we understand it matters, and we refuse to accept that Richardson families should choose between their children's basic needs and other necessities.
This year's drive runs until September 30th. Every diaper matters - it represents one less worry for a struggling family, breathing room in a tight budget, and evidence that their community values their wellbeing.
Here's how you can help:
Donate diapers - especially sizes 5 and 6, which are often overlooked but desperately needed for toddlers still in diapers. Drop them off at barre3 Richardson, Staycation Coffee (until they close later this month), or Arapaho United Methodist Church. Can't make it to a drop-off location? You can also order diapers through this Amazon link and have them delivered directly to All Moms for distribution.
Spread the word - Share on social media using #AllMomsDiaperDrive and talk to friends, family, and coworkers about this issue.
Get involved - Contact us at alicia@allmoms.org to learn about volunteer opportunities or future drives.
This drive represents what All Moms believes about community: that caring for each other's basic needs isn't just charitable work - it's essential community building. When Richardson families don't have to choose between diapers and dinner, when moms can go to work because they have adequate supplies for childcare, when children stay healthy and comfortable, our entire community benefits.
The success of last year's drive - collecting over 6,000 diapers when we aimed for 5,000 - demonstrates Richardson's capacity for collective action. Each year, we're learning more about where need exists and how to meet it effectively.
This isn't about grand gestures or dramatic transformations. It's about the quiet commitment to show up for each other's basic needs, understanding that today's struggle might be tomorrow's, and recognizing we're all stronger when no family faces these challenges alone.
Because at the end of the day, this is about the radical idea that everyone deserves dignity, that basic needs shouldn't be luxuries, and that sometimes the most meaningful help communities can offer is also the most practical.
For more information about All Moms' diaper drive or other community support initiatives, email alicia@allmoms.org.
