When Sloan and her mother walked the aisles of Nourish Phoenix on a spring afternoon last year, the diaper section was conspicuously empty. The staff explained that demand outpaced supply and the shelves remained barren, a stark reminder that 1 in 3 U.S. families cannot afford enough diapers for their infants.
Sloan—now 12—had already raised 7,000 diapers for the bank’s inaugural drive in 2019, a year after she began her campaign at seven years old. Each year the haul has grown, propelled by donations from friends, classmates, and local businesses, culminating in the 30,000‑piece load that arrived this spring.
Nourish Phoenix’s director, Anjali Mehta, said the influx "provides a safety net for families who would otherwise stretch their limited budgets on diapers." One mother, Kamala Patel, shared that the new supply will keep her newborn dry through the winter months, alleviating a financial strain she says is "a relief."
The bank plans to use the surplus to open a dedicated diaper distribution line for low‑income families and to lobby for policy changes that include diapers in SNAP and WIC benefits. Sloan’s drive is slated to continue next year, with a target of 35,000 diapers.