New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund Launches Fundraising Campaign for Diapers and Feminine Products

(Morristown, NJ) – The New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF) and New Jersey’s major food banks are joining forces to address two crucial and overlooked areas of intense need: disposable diapers and feminine care products.

After conducting surveys, NJPRF has quantified the need faced by the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFNBJ), Fulfill, and the Food Bank of South Jersey: 3.25 million diapers and 502,000 menstrual pads to be distributed over the coming months through their networks directly to clients. All four organizations are teaming up for a fundraising campaign to raise $550,000. A $50 donation can provide 170 diapers to families in need or 12 women with a 24-pack of menstrual pads.

The campaign is seeded with a $25,000 donation from NJPRF, $100,000 from CFBNJ, $25,000 from Fulfill, and $25,000 from the FoodBank of South Jersey.

“Even in normal times, one-in-three families are unable to purchase an adequate supply of diapers, and one-in-four women cannot consistently afford feminine products,” said Tammy Murphy, First Lady of New Jersey and Founding Chair of NJPRF. “National studies repeatedly show that reliable access to these products is crucial to physical, emotional, and economic well-being.”

Neither diapers nor feminine care products are available to be purchased with SNAP (formerly called “food stamps”) or Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) federal assistance programs, making it crucial that NJPRF step-up to address this urgent need.

CFBNJ, Fulfill, and the Food Bank of South Jersey report that they have less than a month’s supply of diapers and feminine products to support their network partners. Without this support, Food Banks are struggling to meet the increased demand from new clients – of which many are seeking assistance for the first time in their lives – and returning, traditional clients.

“We are proud to be partnering with the Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Fulfill, and the Food Bank of South Jersey for this crucial program,” said Josh Weinreich, CEO of NJPRF. “New Jerseyans care for and support one another, especially during times of need. That is why we are excited to launch our targeted donation portal, which allows our generous donors to send help where and how it’s needed most.”

Weinreich said NJPRF would be using the hashtag #Jersey4Jersey to share information about future targeted campaigns and encouraged all donors to use social media to help raise awareness.

To donate to this campaign, visit NJPRF’s new “Specific Needs” donation portal. In addition to diapers and feminine care products, NJPRF will update the portal with various fundraising campaigns for much-needed supplies for people, families, and organizations throughout the state of New Jersey. The NJPRF would also like to thank Aaron Price and his team at TechUnited:NJ, along with Mike Papetti of Opsulent, for their diligent work in helping to launch these initiatives – a real Jersey helping Jersey story.

The Impact of Lacking Access to Diapers to Period Products*

• 57% of parents facing diaper needs have missed work or school when childcare programs require parents to provide diapers — only making it harder to afford other necessities
• 73% of parents say a lack of diapers causes them to feel like inadequate parents, causing further emotional stress
• 33% of low-income women have had to wear a period product for longer than its recommended use, putting them at increased health risk
• 20% of low-income women report missing work, school or similar events due to lack of access to period supplies, exacerbating and perpetuating this cycle of need

*Statistics taken from National Diaper Bank Network and the Community Food Bank of New Jersey

To learn more about NJPRF, please visit: njprf.org, and make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF) exists to meet four critical challenges of our state in the face of the COVID-19 crisis: stop the spread, support the healthcare community, provide help for the vulnerable, and rebuild our communities. NJPRF supports organizations that provide essential services and aiding those on the front line of the pandemic. One hundred percent of all online donations will go directly to help those in need. Visit NJPRF.org to donate.