PRINTER'S NO. 2439
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
506
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY YOUNGBLOOD, HILL-EVANS, DONATUCCI, SIMS, BURNS,
NEILSON, SCHLOSSBERG, READSHAW, HANNA, CALTAGIRONE,
LONGIETTI, DEAN, ROZZI, J. HARRIS, KINSEY, BIZZARRO,
HENNESSEY, PASHINSKI, DRISCOLL, DiGIROLAMO, VAZQUEZ, MURT,
DUSH, SONNEY, SCHWEYER AND O'BRIEN, SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of September 25 through October 1, 2017, as
"Diaper Need Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, "Diaper Need Awareness Week" brings attention to the
insufficient supply of disposable diapers for children and
incontinent adults of this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The National Diaper Bank Network, a national
nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that every baby in
the United States can be clean, healthy and dry, reports that
nearly 5.2 million children in the United States three years of
age or younger suffer from diaper need; and
WHEREAS, Access to a reliable supply of clean diapers is a
necessity for the health and well-being of infants and toddlers,
their families, child-care providers and health care providers;
and
WHEREAS, Estimates show that disposable diapers cost as much
as $100 per child per month and can consume nearly 20% of a
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family's monthly income; and
WHEREAS, The average infant or toddler requires an average of
at least 50 diaper changes per week over three years; and
WHEREAS, One in every three mothers finds it difficult to
provide diapers for her children; and
WHEREAS, A supply of diapers is usually a requirement for
infants and toddlers to attend and participate in child-care
programs; and
WHEREAS, According to the National Diaper Bank Network,
infants and toddlers who participate in early education programs
are three times more likely to go on to higher education; and
WHEREAS, When infants and toddlers cannot participate in
child-care programs, it makes it difficult for parents and
guardians to participate in the work force, which has a negative
impact on the economy; and
WHEREAS, Infants and toddlers who are living in households
with little or no access to diapers could spend a day or longer
in one diaper, leading to significant potential health risks
such as severe diaper rash and infections; and
WHEREAS, According to a 2013 study by Yale University printed
in the Journal of Pediatrics, mothers without an adequate diaper
supply are more likely to experience depression and anxiety,
which can have long-term effects on their children; and
WHEREAS, Most public resources, such as food stamps and the
Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Program, do not cover the cost
of these needed items; and
WHEREAS, Families living in poverty often do not have access
to personal washing machines, and most coin-operated
laundromats, for sanitary reasons, do not allow customers to
wash cloth diapers; and
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WHEREAS, Diaper need is also a significant issue for senior
citizens and incontinent adults; and
WHEREAS, For seniors and incontinent adults, the lack of
clean disposable undergarments poses a serious health risk that
could lead to extended hospital stays and even death; and
WHEREAS, Incontinence products could cost as much as $1,000 a
year, which often serves as a financial burden to seniors and
incontinent adults on fixed incomes; and
WHEREAS, Incontinence, and the health risks and complications
that can accompany it, is often a barrier to seniors staying in
their homes and remaining in independent living situations; and
WHEREAS, Community organizations across this Commonwealth are
doing their part to help with this epidemic by hosting diaper
donation drives, which are critical in providing these essential
materials to working families and incontinent adults in need and
raising awareness about the real implications of a widening
diaper supply gap; and
WHEREAS, The National Diaper Bank Network is committed to
working with community groups and raising awareness of the
diaper gap in America by building the capacity of community-
based diaper banks to serve families throughout this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, There are more than 320 diaper banks recognized by
the National Diaper Bank Network, working with more than 4,000
community partners, in 46 states, the District of Columbia and
Guam, distributing nearly 50 million diapers annually; and
WHEREAS, This Commonwealth has 15 diaper banks that are
recognized and are active members of the National Diaper Bank
Network, distributing more than 3.4 million diapers per year to
communities across this Commonwealth; and
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WHEREAS, These diaper banks require community support and
donations of diapers and dollars to allow them to continue to
serve our communities; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
week of September 25 through October 1, 2017, as "Diaper Need
Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
efforts of the National Diaper Bank Network and all community
organizations working to address the diaper gap in Pennsylvania;
and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage the
residents of this Commonwealth to support community
organizations and participate in diaper drives to help improve,
enhance and expand access to diapers for our Commonwealth's
children and incontinent adults.
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