BILLINGS - For many families in Billings, something as basic as diapers can quickly become a daily struggle.
Q2 News, United Way and Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley have launched a Community Baby Shower, and the focus is on something simple, but essential: making sure local babies stay clean, dry and cared for.
For many families, the cost adds up faster than people realize. Babies can go through 8 to 12 diapers a day, that’s as many as 3,000 a year.
At roughly 25 to 40 cents per diaper, families can spend anywhere from $750 to $1,200 annually on diapers alone, plus another $130 to $200 on wipes. Altogether, that’s close to $1,400 a year for just one child, and for many households, that’s simply out of reach.
Every month, Family Promise of Yellowstone Valley distributes diapers, wipes and formula to families across Billings. Cars line up. Volunteers unload supplies. And in just a couple of hours, dozens of families leave with one less thing to worry about.
“If you ask for diapers, we believe you need them,” said the organization's executive director, Felicia Burg. “And it’s going to make its way to a baby’s butt.”
It may sound straightforward, but Burg says the impact goes far beyond keeping a baby dry.
“Diapers are expensive, and it’s just so much more than that,” she said. “If a parent doesn’t have diapers to give to daycare, they don’t get to go to work.”
For many families, the need is urgent—and asking for help can be difficult.
“When families are struggling with poverty and housing, they are really scared to come out and say anything,” Burg said.
At Family Promise, there are no barriers—just support.
On distribution days, volunteers move quickly, handing supplies through car windows as the line steadily grows. In just a two-hour window, the organization can serve anywhere from 30 to 50 families.
Among them is Darnell Johnson, a new father navigating the realities of rising costs.
“It’s definitely more expensive than we planned for,” Johnson said. “They’re jumping sizes really quick.”
Still, he’s found ways to give back—donating unused diapers once his child outgrows them.
Because the need doesn’t slow down.
At a storage facility off Montana Avenue, shelves are stacked with donations from the community. But those supplies move just as fast as they come in.
That’s why the organization is now calling on the community to help keep the momentum going.
“And through the diaper bank, it’s a time to just love on our neighbors, no strings attached,” Burg said. “If you need diapers, we believe you need them.”
Visit ktvq.com/baby for more information on how to help.
