Diaper Bank of the Ozarks
A Basic Need That Changes Everything
For families living paycheck to paycheck, diapers aren’t just another expense — they’re often the breaking point. When parents can’t afford enough diapers, children suffer with painful rashes and infections. Families miss work and school because daycare won’t accept a child without adequate diapers. The stress compounds, the bills pile up, and what seems like such a small thing creates an impossible burden.
The Diaper Bank of the Ozarks exists to break this cycle. Serving 30 counties across Southwest Missouri and beyond, we partner with food banks, crisis centers, health departments, and pregnancy care centers to ensure families have access to this most basic necessity.
Help Us Meet a Critical Need
Your financial support goes further than donated diapers because we buy by the truckload — making every dollar stretch to help more families.
Impact
1 Million+
Diapers distributed annually
30 Counties
Served across the region
66+
Partner agencies distributing diapers
2 Packages of Diapers
Available per child each month
Founded 2012
Over a decade of service
Tax-Free
Victory eliminating sales tax statewide
Testimonials
The Need
Diaper insecurity is a hidden crisis affecting families across Missouri and the nation. According to the National Diaper Bank Network, nearly half (47%) of U.S. families with young children cannot afford enough diapers to keep their infant or child clean, dry, and healthy. This isn’t just an inconvenience—it’s a public health emergency with devastating consequences.
In 2024, nearly half of Missouri families with children younger than 4 reported experiencing diaper insecurity, with 79% of mothers feeling stressed or anxious about affording diapers. The financial burden is staggering—the poorest 20% of families spend nearly 14% of their household income on diapers.
The impact extends far beyond finances. In Missouri, 97% of childcare providers require parents to supply diapers, and one in four parents experiencing diaper insecurity reported missing an average of five days of work or school per month because they didn’t have enough diapers.
Yet diapers aren’t covered by government safety net programs like SNAP, WIC, or Medicaid. That’s where the Diaper Bank of the Ozarks steps in — filling the gap so families can work, children can stay healthy, and parents don’t have to make impossible choices.
Our Approach
The Diaper Bank of the Ozarks operates differently than other programs at Crosslines. Rather than working directly with the public, we supply diapers to over 66 partner agencies across 30 counties — including food banks, pregnancy care centers, health departments, and crisis centers. This partnership model ensures families can access diapers alongside other critical services they may need.
Disposable Diapers
Families can receive 50 diapers per month per child through our network of partner agencies. We purchase diapers by the truckload and have them custom-labeled, allowing us to stretch every dollar further and serve more children in need.
Period Products
We also provide tampons and pads to girls and women who are struggling. When a mother can’t afford to care for her baby’s basic needs, she’s certainly not able to care for herself — and menstrual products are a basic health necessity.
Incontinence Products
We accept donations of adult incontinence products (especially larger sizes) and distribute them through our partner network to seniors and adults who need them.
Cloth Diaper Support
For families interested in cloth diapering, we provide kits so they can try this option and see if it works for their household. Cloth diapers can serve as an excellent backup when disposable supplies run low, but they are not the solution for all families, as they require resources like washers, dryers, and hot water.
Get Involved
Whether you host a diaper drive at your church, workplace, or organization, make a financial contribution, or help spread awareness about diaper need in our community, you’re providing relief to families who are doing everything they can to make ends meet.
