Bipartisan Legislation Would Partner U.S. Department of Defense with National Diaper Bank Network to Support Military Families

Military Family Diaper Fund Would Provide Diapers to Families in Need

WASHINGTON, Feb. 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A new bipartisan bill introduced on Tuesday in the U.S. House of Representatives would direct federal funding toward diaper assistance for military families struggling to afford basic necessities.

The Military Family Diaper Partnership Act, introduced by Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (D-NC-4) and Congressman Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA-7), would create a public-private partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN).

The legislation would allocate $1 million per year from fiscal years 2027 through 2030 to a Military Family Diaper Fund, with NDBN required to match that amount through non-federal dollars or in-kind contributions. Funds would be distributed by NDBN to nonprofit basic needs banks with at least five years of experience serving families on or near military installations.

The need is stark. A survey by the Diaper Bank of North Carolina found that 91.5% of military families with young children worry about affording diapers — and that many are forced to choose between diapers and other essentials like food, clothing, and hygiene products. Nationally, nearly 1 in 2 U.S. families with young children struggle to afford diapers, according to The NDBN Diaper Check 2024.

"This legislation is the result of the research and advocacy efforts of NDBN and our member basic needs banks serving military families," said Joanne Samuel Goldblum, CEO and Founder of the National Diaper Bank Network. "The establishment of the Military Diaper Fund is a commonsense approach that will ensure all military families have the basics, like diapers, they require to thrive. We applaud Representatives Foushee and Mackenzie for their leadership and bipartisan approach to addressing diaper insecurity."

"Military families make enormous sacrifices every day, moving to new communities, juggling deployments, and keeping life running at home while their loved ones serve. Caring for young children under these conditions can already be overwhelming, and access to basic necessities like diapers should never be a struggle," said Congresswoman Foushee. "The Military Family Diaper Partnership Act will provide these families with essential support, ensuring parents can focus on their children and their service without worrying about one of life's most fundamental needs."

"Those who serve our country deserve convenient, affordable access to critical family needs," said Congressman Mackenzie. "That's why I previously joined Rep. Foushee in co-leading the Military Family Diaper Assistance Act, and why we're doubling down on that work with the Military Family Diaper Partnership Act. It's time to provide military families with the support that they're counting on to help them grow and thrive."

The bill builds on research showing that diaper distribution to military families improves both caregiver well-being and military readiness — findings that also informed a companion measure, the Military Family Diaper Assistance Act of 2025 (HR 6138), previously introduced by Reps. Foushee and Mackenzie.

At the Diaper Bank of North Carolina, we know that many military families are quietly struggling to afford basic essentials like diapers," said Michelle Schaefer-Old, CEO and founder of the Diaper Bank of North Carolina. "We have distributed more than 836,000 diapers to military households, supporting over 16,700 babies. The Military Family Diaper Partnership Act is a smart public-private partnership that honors service members by ensuring their children have the basic essentials they need to stay healthy, dry, and thriving."

NDBN is urging the public to contact their U.S. Representatives and ask them to co-sponsor the Military Family Diaper Partnership Act. More information is available here.

About National Diaper Bank Network

The National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) leads a nationwide movement dedicated to strengthening the social fabric that unites communities by ensuring individuals, children, and families have the basic material necessities they require to thrive and reach their full potential. 2026 marks the nonprofit's 15th anniversary year. Launched in 2011 with the support of founding sponsor Huggies^®, NDBN creates awareness, advances public policy, leads original research, and builds community to end diaper insecurity and period product insecurity in the U.S. Its active membership includes more than 300 basic needs banks serving local communities throughout the U.S. More information on NDBN is available at nationaldiaperbanknetwork.org, and on Instagram (@DiaperNetwork), X (@DiaperNetwork), Facebook (facebook.com/NationalDiaperBankNetwork), and Bluesky (@diapernetwork.bsky.social).

Contact:
Troy Moore
National Diaper Bank Network
+1 203-295-7987
[email protected] 

SOURCE National Diaper Bank Network