GOLETA — This September, businesses, organizations, and community members across Santa Barbara County came together to collect more than 15,000 diapers for local families through LEAP’s annual Diaper Need Awareness campaign.
One in two U.S. families with young children struggle to afford enough diapers to keep their babies clean, according to The NDBN Diaper Check 2026: Diaper Insecurity among U.S. Children and Families. This lack of a sufficient supply of diapers is known as diaper need. Families experiencing diaper need report making difficult tradeoffs, including skipping meals, delaying rent or mortgage payments, or falling behind on other bills to afford diapers.