PSU student collects diapers for families in need  

Darci Miller, Pittsburg State University Social Work Senior and CHC/SEK Patient Advocate, is helping under-resourced families in southeast Kansas by hosting a diaper drive. The collected diapers will go to the Southeast Kansas Diaper Stock and Vie Medical Clinic to give to community members in need. Donations will be collected through Oct.31.    

Darci has witnessed how a lack of diapers impacts children and their families.   

“All too often, parents have to make the choice to either buy diapers or to buy food or pay a bill,” Darci says. “For as long as I can remember, I have had a passion for helping others. As I have gotten older and expanded my knowledge of both the field of social work and the struggles our community faces daily, my passion for helping families and young children has grown immensely.”   

In Southeast Kansas, one in two families experience diaper need, which is the lack of adequate diapering supplies due to cost. And, 47% of families across the United States reported they were in diaper need in 2023, with 63% of those families reporting a low-income status.   For one month, the average number of diapers needed for proper diaper changes costs approximately $80 per child. Without proper diapering supplies, children are at risk for multiple physical and mental health problems. Parents or caregivers are also at risk for stress, depression, and missing work or school due to refusal of care from outside childcare facilities.