Subject: I want to talk to you about diapers (really):
From: "Renata Alexis, New York" <[email-masked]>
To: <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 09:14:14 -0600

Every day, I walk into work and see the faces of teenage mothers who are trying their hardest to be good parents.

I help run a youth homeless shelter for an organization called Covenant House, and it's my job to make life a little easier for the young mothers that we welcome. But week after week, there's a major problem that stands in our way: diapers.

Diapers are basic necessities for these young women and their children, just like food and housing. We work to provide diapers to them as much as we can. But right now, diapers are a big expense: We pay roughly 33 cents per diaper and wait one week per shipment. When we run out, we need to make a run to the corner store, where we end up paying premium prices.

This isn't just our problem. Studies show nearly one in three families struggle to afford diapers for their babies.

Policy experts say that low-income families spend twice as much on diapers every year compared to some wealthier families. That's because low-income families don't have internet access or credit cards to order diapers in bulk online, or often don't have transportation to buy in bulk at a big box store.

When families can’t afford a healthy number of diapers for their babies, they’re faced with the choice between buying diapers and paying for food, rent, or utilities like heat. That’s a choice that no family should have to make.

https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=f7c89dbad7ed906c585cd2d98c248fba7b235b4f5058da9b70fb24addb10d7ff7a5e2ec72a24758c 
Today, the White House is highlighting a new initiative by private and non-profit entities to help fix this problem and make diapers more affordable for all. Learn more about how it will help millions of families in need. 

The initiative has three key parts:

	- 
First, the private sector and the non-profit community have teamed up to provide a more affordable way to manufacture and distribute diapers to non-profit organizations. This means that organizations like mine can pay less than half the cost of what we normally pay for diapers, and get them faster with free two-day shipping.

	- 
Second, any 501(c)(3) non-profit can sign up to participate in the Community Diaper Program and begin offering these more affordable diapers to families in their communities. The National Diaper Bank Network estimates that their 280 diaper banks will be able to order more than 14 million diapers this year thanks to this program.

	- 
Third, even more private sector organizations are helping address the problem through diaper donation campaigns to benefit families in need.

I cannot say how much seemingly small efforts like these can impact organizations like mine. When we have cheaper, more reliable access to diapers, we can invest any savings into job training programs to help these young mothers find full-time jobs to support their families.

But more important than saving money, this initiative shows these women that people care about them. They are working so hard to change their lives and provide their children with a good future, and this is the kind of support that they'll remember for a lifetime.

https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=f7c89dbad7ed906cefb0be9b84cc21606207550014b7df565d2b73dde40c69f5e3350349fdfd35a8 
Take a minute to find out what’s being done to help families get the diapers they need at wh.gov/DiaperGap. 

Thanks so much for listening,

Renata

Renata Alexis

Covenant House

https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=f7c89dbad7ed906c3e642cb8d9d00f0da83f0c008d2f97487109e42e5505b44be4635105262a5395 

This email was sent to 
mailto:[email-masked] 
[email-masked] .

https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/unsub_center.aspx?qs=a2b08b4ed1a9b580e95a3fa3ccc072901950457f567ab70608f28dfba36d741a700644f0a703b9db6d3bbca6d77f7a55cd7657b2c43aac72 
Unsubscribe 
| 
https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=f7c89dbad7ed906c0a494f899787a0b6df18457eca26c2b018358fbf7e5e9eb9731d54a4a6198a23 
Privacy Policy 

Please do not reply to this email. 
https://click.mail.whitehouse.gov/?qs=f7c89dbad7ed906caa9b076687aef62c62b6a50225d0baa142710b5abbe271cd910c09654c3adde2 
Contact the White House 

The White House - 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave NW - Washington, DC 20500 - 202-456-1111