TULSA, Okla. — The average amount parents spend monthly on diapers is around $80.
It's a steep price, especially for parents struggling during the pandemic, that's why one Tulsa mom created a non-profit, Permanent Diaper Relief.
Permanent Diaper Relief is an assistance program where any parent can apply and receive three different types of services for cloth diapers.
“When the epidemic started there were so many people concerned about how they were going to get their diapers. I took it upon myself to donate diapers to families that were in need,”Madelaine Martin, with Permanent Diaper Relief, said.
The program offers assistance, rentals, and cleaning. It allows moms or dads to buy cloth diapers and keep them forever.
A family might go through 40 diapers a week. This program would allow the family to keep, wash, and reuse diapers many times.
“Once we provide the diapers, we are helping that family forever," Martin said. "They never have to ask for diapers ever again.”
Families can also rent for a period, then return their cloth diapers when their child is potty trained.
Martin said the most needed service is cleaning. Each week, Martin goes to participant's homes, drops off clean diapers and picks up dirty ones.
The cost all depends on the application. In the application, a family's income is taken into account when deciding how much a they should pay.
“A lot of applications have come from people who have lost their jobs," Martin said. "I just gave away 80 diapers. We give 40 diapers to each baby.”
No family in the program spends more than $10 a week for the services combined.
Sharde Roebuck uses Permanent Diaper Relief. Her child was born 4 months ago. For Roebuck, the service is completely free. She's never spent a dime on diapers or wipes, and gets them delivered every Monday. She said it's been a life saver, one pricey part of parenthood she's never had to stress over.
“I don’t have to worry about, okay so we’re almost out of diapers, we need to go to the store, I have to put him in the car, we have to wear a mask. Especially with all of this other stuff going on," Roebuck said, “She’s taken that away from me. I don’t have to worry about how much that’s gonna cost.”
Martin said with all the pandemic relief programs, helping families with food, finances and more, there isn't a program like hers. She's glad she can help so many parents.
For more information on the Permanent Diaper Relief program, click here.
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