The San Diego Food Bank is more than a food provider — it’s a lifeline for vulnerable families across our community. Recognizing that hunger is just one of many barriers low-income households face, the Food Bank expanded its mission in 2017 to address another essential need: diapers.
The high cost of diapers — often exceeding $100 per month — forces impossible choices for struggling families. Without a steady supply, babies go longer between changes, leading to severe diaper rash, infections and other health concerns. This creates stress and anxiety for parents, who may have to miss work to care for their child.
To break the cycle of poverty, parents need stable employment. But to work, they need child care — which regularly requires a weeklong supply of diapers. For many, this is a barrier too great to overcome.
That’s where the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank’s Diaper Bank Program steps in. As San Diego County’s regional Diaper Bank and one of only 11 state-funded Diaper Banks in California, we provide emergency diapers to thousands of families every month, helping them stay financially stable.
Thanks to generous supporters like the Cushman Family Foundation, which recently awarded the program a $50,000 grant, we can continue expanding our impact. In FY 2023/24, we distributed over 8.5 million diapers, serving nearly 8,000 families each month.
Diapers are a basic necessity — just like food. By ensuring families have access to them, we improve child health, reduce parental stress and create long-term family stability.