Senate Resolution No. 2204

BY: Senator BAILEY

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
September 26 to October 2, 2022, as Diaper Need
Awareness Week in the State of New York

WHEREAS, It is the practice of this Legislative Body to acknowledge
and recognize the aspects of life that affect the citizens of this great
Empire State; and

WHEREAS, Caring for loved ones is a noble but difficult endeavor,
and for parents, raising a child is the most important task in their
life and diapers are a key necessity; and

WHEREAS, According to the Stanford University School of Medicine,
"diapers are essential care items, reducing the incidence of infection,
rashes, and other poor health outcomes for babies. They are also
required for access to many early educational programs"; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Diaper Bank Network, "diapers are
as essential to a baby's healthy development as a mother's love. Keeping
infants and toddlers clean, dry, and healthy is key to building a solid
foundation for all children to reach their full potential. But one in
three families in disadvantaged communities struggle to provide clean
diapers for their baby"; and

WHEREAS, Adults and senior citizens entering their golden years
often need adult diapers; this enables caregivers to maintain
cleanliness and avoid germ related illnesses and infections that may
threaten the wellbeing of those reaching an advanced age; and

WHEREAS, While adult diapers are often overlooked in research and
statistics on diaper use, adult diaper sales are expected to surpass
sales of baby diapers in the near future; the adult diaper market
globally reached a value of US $16.7 billion in 2021 and is expected to
reach US $26.1 billion by 2027; and

WHEREAS, Diapers are a heavy and relentless expense for parents
caring for infants and for seniors; and

WHEREAS, Despite the importance of diapers, the Stanford University
School of Medicine reports that "diapers remain highly inaccessible: the
poorest families spend 14% of their income on infant diapers and spend
twice as much as those who can buy diapers in bulk. Even then, diapers
are not covered by programs such as SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program) or WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), creating
alarming disparities in access"; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Diaper Bank Network, two-parent
households in New York state spend 13% of their income on the cost of
infant care, and single-parent households in New York State spend 46% of
their income on the cost of infant care; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, the National Diaper Bank states "the genesis
of the diaper bank movement extends back to 1994, when Resolve, Inc., a

small consulting firm in Tucson, Arizona, held a diaper drive during the
holiday season to assist a local crisis nursery"; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Diaper Bank Network website, the
"diaper bank movement of today includes more than 200-member diaper bank
programs assisting families in 50 U.S. states, and the District of
Columbia" including 17 here in the great State of New York; and

WHEREAS, To help those in need, the 17 diaper banks connected to the
National Diaper Bank Network in New York state distribute 3,797,753
diapers annually, helping 6,330 infants and toddlers monthly; now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this legislative body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim September 26 to October 2,
2022, as Diaper Need Awareness Week in the State of New York; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York; The National Diaper Bank Network; The Junior League of
Westchester; The Junior League of Rochester Diaper Bank; The Central New
York Diaper Bank Inc.; (914) Cares; The Food Pantries of the Capital
Region; Baby Steps Baby Pantry at Christ Lutheran Church; The HopeLine;
Little Essentials; The Allied Foundation; The Food Bank of the Southern
Tier Diaper Bank Program; The Brooklyn Diaper Project; Moms for Moms
NYC; NYC Mammas Give Back Inc.; Every Bottom Covered; GOOD+ Foundation;
Her Village Inc., and the Archdiocese of New York Diaper Distribution
via Catholic Charities.