FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 4, 2024
For more information, please contact:
Kassidy Farrey
Interim Executive Director, WISCAP
(608) 210-3384
kfarrey@wiscap.org
WISCAP Receives $1.2 Million Diaper Distribution Grant
Madison, WI — The Wisconsin Community Action Program Association, Inc. (WISCAP) has been awarded a $1.2 million grant as part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Diaper Distribution Demonstration and Research Pilot. This grant, funded through the Office of Community Services, will help expand diaper distribution infrastructure in Wisconsin and provide essential wraparound support services to families experiencing diaper need. These wraparound services may include job training, educational support, housing assistance, and food and nutrition services.
The Diaper Distribution Pilot, established in 2022, has now allocated a total of $40.2 million in funding, including $15.9 million announced last week. The program serves 24 states and 4 tribal communities nationwide.
In Wisconsin, an estimated 189,224 children under the age of 3 reside in the state. Of those, 20% live in households with incomes between 100% and 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). While diaper banks, such as the National Diaper Bank Network, serve approximately 6,307 children each month, a significant gap remains, with about 31,537 children potentially requiring additional diaper assistance (National Diaper Network).
WISCAP, the statewide association for Wisconsin’s Community Action Agencies (CAAs), coordinates efforts to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life for families with low incomes. This new grant builds on WISCAP’s history of tackling poverty-related issues, including projects like the Reach & Resiliency Grant, Workforce Innovation Grant – Nursing Skills, the Vaccine Outreach Grant, and the Quality Jobs, Equity, Strategy, and Training (QUEST) Grant. The WISCAP member agencies participating in this grant are: Foundation for Rural Housing, UMOS, ADVOCAP, North Central CAP, Lakeshore CAP, Southwest CAP, Newcap, CAP Services, and Indianhead CAA.
The lead agency for this project is the Foundation for Rural Housing (FRH), a WISCAP member that provides housing and essential services to individuals and families with low-incomes in rural Wisconsin. FRH’s statewide reach makes them uniquely positioned to lead this initiative.
“Sometimes programs just make sense to start, and Diaper Distribution is one of those programs,” said Jenny Fasula, Executive Director of FRH. The foundation created the Rubber Ducky Diaper Depot in 2023 to address the critical needs of infants and toddlers in rural areas. The program has already distributed over 70,000 diapers to 12 counties, including partnerships with the Lac Du Flambeau Tribe. With the support of the new grant, FRH plans to expand its reach across additional counties in rural Wisconsin and incorporate services for migrant farmworkers.
