Maritime diaper banks report growing demand as families struggle with costs

Operators of diaper banks in Atlantic Canada say growing demand for their services is highlighting the financial strain many families face as the cost of diapers, formula and other infant necessities continues to climb.

Jillian Cross, who runs the Fredericton Diaper Bank, said she has recently had to remind clients that the organization is intended to provide short-term emergency assistance rather than long-term supplies.

“My goal is to get enough diapers out the door to a family to last a week, to bridge the gap between paycheques,” Cross said.

The Fredericton Diaper Bank provides diapers, formula and postpartum products to families across the city. Cross said she has noticed what she describes as an overuse of the service, with some clients expecting enough diapers to cover a month rather than a temporary period of need.

She said she understands why some parents are asking for more help, pointing to the rising cost of child-care necessities. Cross, a mother of two, said a box of diapers can cost between $50 and $60 and may last anywhere from one to three weeks, depending on a child’s age and needs.

“It’s a significant amount for families,” she said.

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The growing need has at times exposed the desperation some parents face. Cross recently described an incident in which diapers left on her porch awaiting pickup were stolen before they reached their intended recipient.

Rather than expressing anger, Cross said she felt sympathy for whoever took them.

“I assume that family was also in desperate need for diapers and maybe too embarrassed to ask for them,” she said.

Similar pressures are being felt elsewhere in the region.

Lydia O’Regan, who operates the Halifax Diaper Bank, said the response from families underscores how important such services have become. She said many recipients express profound gratitude when they receive help.

“I’ve had people cry on my shoulder, send me the most loving and grateful messages that are just full of care and kindness,” O’Regan said.

The financial challenges facing parents extend beyond diapers, according to Lyle Dyker, owner of the Once Upon A Child used clothing store in Fredericton.

Dyker said he recently totaled a customer’s purchase at roughly $110 before reflecting on how much the same selection of children’s clothing would have cost new.

He estimated the items would have approached $1,000 at retail prices, highlighting the savings many families seek by turning to second-hand options.

Cross, O’Regan and Dyker said there is room for broader measures to help families manage the cost of raising children. In the meantime, they said community organizations and local businesses will continue trying to fill the gap for those in need.