Kids & Family
Free Diapers Available For San Francisco Families
The average monthly diaper bill ranges from $80 to $100.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — San Francisco families who receive CalFresh food assistance could be eligible to get a free monthly supply of diapers starting next month, the city's Human Services Agency announced Wednesday.
The program is already available for residents with children under three years old who participate in CalWORKS, but starting this month it's expanding to CalFresh participants.
The expansion will make San Francisco the first county in the nation to provide free diapers.
Find out what's happening in San Franciscowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The diapers are being provided by the Diaper Bank, a partnership between the SFHSA and the organization Help a Mother Out.
According to the SFHSA, one in three families nationwide struggles with affording diapers, with the average monthly diaper bill ranging from $80 to $100.
Find out what's happening in San Franciscowith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"We must ensure every child in California is off to a great start. From health problems to being shut out of childcare programs, having little or no access to clean diapers can be hard on families and impact the outcome of a child's life," Assemblymember Phil Ting, D-San Francisco, said in a statement.
"Choosing between a clean diaper for your baby and rent, food or transportation is a choice no parent should have to make, yet it's a choice so many in our community face daily," Lisa Troung, founder and executive director of HAMO said.
The program is made possible by a $2.5 million grant awarded to HAMO by the California Department of Social Services to support diaper access programs in the Bay Area.
More information about the San Francisco Diaper Bank and the San Francisco Human Services Agency can be found online. — Bay City News
