Neighborhood Villages, MFS Foundation, and Baby2Baby Distribute More than 80,000 Diapers and Essential Goods Across Massachusetts

This week, amid rising prices nationwide, Neighborhood Villages, MFS Investment Management Foundation, and Baby2Baby partnered to distribute over 80,000 diapers and other essential goods, including wipes, formula, coats, laundry detergent, and school supplies in communities across Massachusetts. 

Items were distributed to family-serving organizations, including community partners, child care programs, Coordinated Family and Community Engagement offices, early intervention programs, and WIC programs at pickup locations in Boston, Brockton, Worcester, and Western Massachusetts. This effort will help support 4,000 children and families served by 25 partnering organizations.

Since 2020, the cost of diapers has increased by 48%. For a family with one child in diapers, that’s almost $1,000 a year. Given that many families have multiple small children at once, that can amount to up to 14% of annual income for low-income parents. 

The impact? Nearly half of U.S. families with children under three can’t afford enough diapers, forcing parents to stretch supplies or skip other necessities. In Massachusetts, meeting the need would take 63 million diapers a year. 

Lack of access to diapers not only endangers children’s health but can also limit opportunities for families. Without enough diapers, parents are often unable to send their children to child care, causing them to miss work and endure more financial strain.

“We don't ask you to send your 7th grader to school with toilet paper, but we do ask you to send your 2-year-old to child care with diapers,” said Sarah Muncey, co-president of Neighborhood Villages. “So it really can get in the way of a family’s ability to meet their basic needs month-to-month.” 

Now more than ever, it is critical that we work to meet this need in our communities. We hear it from our partners who are working on the ground with families each day. 

Margaret Carreiro, Assistant Director at Bay Cove Human Services Early Intervention

Margaret Carreiro, Assistant Director at Bay Cove Human Services Early Intervention, picked up diapers and other supplies at the Boston site and shared how important it is to have this type of support in the community. 

“It’s amazing to have this resource because diapers are so expensive. We used to have to tell families we didn’t have any diapers for them,” said Margaret. “With a lot of families losing funding, losing jobs, and living in shelters, we have a much higher need for families with diapers.”

Throughout the year, Neighborhood Villages partners with early childhood education programs serving vulnerable children and families to help them access the health services, wraparound supports, and material goods they need to thrive.

We look forward to continuing to give back to our communities and creating meaningful, lasting impact for families and children across Massachusetts.