How Struggling Single Moms Can Get Free Baby Supplies
Even in households with two parents, raising children can be a full-time job—but when you’re also carrying the burden of providing for your family without the help of a partner, it can be easy to feel anxious and overwhelmed. From clothing to formula to baby toys to food, the cost of raising a child in their first year alone can range anywhere from $20,000-$50,000, making the price tag of having a baby more than most parents were originally bargaining for.
And when you also consider the fact that single mothers only make a fraction of what their male peers do, making only about 82 cents on the dollar when compared to men, it’s no wonder that many single women struggle when it comes to affording baby supplies. In fact, according to one study done by the American Academy of Pediatrics, it was found that one in three mothers in the United States say that they need more diapers than they can actually afford.
For most parents, however, there’s just no way to avoid having to shell out for these expenses. But if you’re a single parent and find yourself struggling to afford supplies for your baby, all hope is not lost! There are resources at your disposal that you can utilize to help you cover the costs, or—in some instances—provide you with the supplies you need completely for free!
In this article, we’ll explore a few of the organizations and programs out there that lend a hand to single mothers in need.
Table of Contents
Overview
Let’s be honest: single mothers are one of the most vulnerable and neglected demographics in the United States today. Unfortunately, though, they are far from an uncommon occurrence. Among families that are identified as being headed by single parents, about 80% of them were headed specifically by single mothers—and nearly 1/3 of those families were living in poverty.
But there’s no shame in asking for help when you need it, especially when it comes to raising your child! While things may be difficult at times, there are always resources available if you know where to look.
The following is a list of programs and organizations that you can look to if you’re hoping to find some free baby supplies:
- Baby2Baby
- The National Diaper Bank Network
- Catholic Charities
- United Way’s 211
In the following sections, we’ll talk about each of these organizations more in depth and see which one may be able to provide some extra help when it comes to getting free supplies for your baby.
Baby2Baby
Baby2Baby is another non-profit organization that was designed to help struggling parents gain access to a variety of items that they need to raise a child, and whose member organizations are located in 40 cities all across the country.
Over the past 10 years, Baby2Baby has distributed over 200 million items to children in need—from those living in homeless shelters to those enrolled in domestic violence programs, foster care, those sick in hospitals, as well as those attending underserved schools or those who have been victims of a natural disaster. Items you can receive from the organization range from absolute necessities like diapers, formula, and cribs to less critical but still important items like toys and backpacks.
To get started, all you need to do is locate the member organization closest to you by clicking here.
The National Diaper Bank Network
The National Diaper Bank Network is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2011 that aims to give low-income families access to free diapers all across the country. Their network has more than 225 member organizations across all 50 states—plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico—and they help more than 280,000 children per month maintain proper access to diapers.
If you’re looking for a place to find free diapers, The National Diaper Bank Network would be a great place to start! All you need to do is check out this directory to find the branch located closest to you!
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a faith-based non-profit organization (much like The Salvation Army) that aims to be of service to those in need. They offer this help in a variety of different ways, from rental assistance programs to transportation needs, and, yes, even to those who demonstrate a need for certain baby items like clothing and toys.
Many chapters have dedicated days and events where they specifically offer a variety of baby items like diapers and clothing. All you need to do is check their website to find the chapter closest to you and see when they’re hosting an event near you!
United Way’s 211
United Way’s 211 is non-profit service that aims to be the most comprehensive source of information about local resources and services in the country. They have operators working 24/7 to help people maintain access to resources by connecting them to local charities and organizations to address a variety of basic needs like housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and, yes—even baby items.
If you’re in dire straits, simply pick up your cell phone and dial 211 to speak with a representative and ask for “baby essentials” or “basic need items” to get connected with the local resources available in your area.
You can also use their online database to search through their resources on your own. Simply navigate to their website and click “Your Local 211” to get started.
Conclusion
While there’s no doubt that raising a family can be an expensive undertaking—especially if you’re a single mom–you should take heart knowing that as difficult as things can be at times, you don’t have to go about it alone if you’re struggling!
There are a wide variety of non-profit organizations that know just how difficult it can be to provide for your family and have made it their mission to help. Now that you have a better understanding of some of the options you have available to you, you can finally start getting some of that extra help you may be needing.
