Decatur-based nonprofit awarded $1.2 million federal funds for diaper distribution across Georgia

A statewide nonprofit based in Decatur won more than $1 million from the federal government as part of a program to address children’s needs in the state.

Specifically, the Georgia Community Action Association was awarded $1.2 million through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot (DDDRP).

The federal government reports that “diapers, alone, can cost 8% of a person’s total income if they are making federal minimum wage, and parents and caregivers who do not have enough diapers often cannot drop their children off at child care.”

According to Congressman Hank Johnson’s office, the funding will let GCAA “expand its efforts to provide essential diaper supplies to families with low incomes, addressing a critical need for infants and young children across Georgia.”

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The award itself was well-timed, with Johnson’s office saying it came during National Diaper Need Awareness Week.

The DDDRP is giving more than $8 million to seven recipients across the country, including GCAA, to help alleviate diaper needs and connect families to services that help address the causes and conditions of poverty, Johnson’s office said.

“Every child deserves access to basic necessities, and no family should have to choose between diapers and other essential needs,” Johnson said in a statement.

In Georgia, the lawmaker’s office said diaper needs result from:

• 26% of children have parents who lack secure employment
• 20.2% of children live below the poverty line
• Families face an average annual cost of $9,253 for center-based infant care

Johnson’s office said 45% of DDDRP participants say they have had to reduce spending on food and utilities in order to afford diapers.

More information about the Diaper Distribution Pilot can be found online.

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