With demand surging and supply strained, meeting urgent basic needs for infants and toddlers is more important than ever
JUNE 10, 2025, CHICAGO, IL — Many families and caregivers are increasingly forced to choose between paying for rent, food, diapers and clothing. Cradles to Crayons® (C2C®) and First Quality® are continuing their efforts to distribute free diapers, clothing and hygiene essentials to families and caregivers in the Chicago area through C2C’s Gear Up for Baby initiative, presented by First Quality®, makers of Cuties® baby diapers.
“Being a parent isn’t easy, but if you add on worry and stress caused by having to choose between essential baby supplies and other necessary expenses, the struggle for many parents multiplies,” noted Sima Delafraz, First Quality’s Chief Commercial Officer. “First Quality believes that no one should have to choose between buying diapers or feeding their family. For over four years, we have been collaborating with C2C to end diaper need, and Gear Up for Baby is the cornerstone initiative of this partnership.”
In 2024 alone, Cradles to Crayons Chicago distributed more than 1.7 million diapers to local families through their network of over 70 Chicagoland Service Partners. These partners, which include schools, daycares and community organizations, report that infants and toddlers often need new clothing every 1–2 months, and for families already stretched thin, consistent access to these basics simply isn’t possible.
“Across Chicagoland, families are doing everything they can to care for their children, but the high cost of living means essentials like diapers and clothing are often out of reach,” said Dawn Melchiorre, Executive Director of Cradles to Crayons Chicago. “Our partnership with First Quality allows us to meet these urgent needs in a real and meaningful way—and we’re incredibly grateful for the volunteers and donors who make it all possible.”
Diaper need is a growing public crisis:
• 1 in 3 families struggles to afford enough diapers (source: National Diaper Bank Network, 2023)
• More than 20 million children live at or below 200% of the federal poverty level
• Half of U.S. families with children report being unable to meet basic living expenses (source: National Diaper Bank Network, 2023)
“Cradles to Crayons exists to help children thrive amid systemic gaps and economic instability. When essentials become unaffordable, it’s families living paycheck to paycheck who bear the heaviest burden,” said Christine Morin, CEO of Cradles to Crayons. “There are no federal government benefits covering diaper costs. Our valued partnership with First Quality, combined with the generous support of volunteers and donors, provides a tangible solution to this urgent need.”
Launched during the pandemic in 2021, the Cradles to Crayons–First Quality partnership powers Gear Up for Baby. During May and June, a portion of First Quality’s Cuties diaper sales funds the bulk purchase of diapers and other essentials for children in low-income or poverty- impacted households. C2C’s strategic partnership with First Quality is vital to helping fill a critical gap. Since the partnership began, C2C has distributed millions of diapers annually. Last year alone, C2C distributed:
• 4,477,050 diapers in Massachusetts
• 3,174,600 diapers in Greater Philadelphia Tri-State Area
• 1,702,300 diapers in Chicagoland
In addition to diapers, C2C provides year-round free clothing, onesies, pajamas, coats, hats and hygiene kits—essential resources that help stabilize families during a child’s earliest years.
“We work with nearly 350 Service Partner organizations—including schools, daycares and community organizations—who tell us that infants and toddlers often need new clothing every 1–2 months, or six or more times per year, ” Morin continued. “For families who are already stretched thin, consistent access to diapers simply isn’t possible, and we could not be more grateful to First Quality for helping to support this essential need.”
Founded in 2002, C2C is the only large-scale U.S. nonprofit exclusively focused on ending Clothing Insecurity—the lack of access to affordable, adequate, and appropriate essentials like warm clothing, shoes, diapers and school supplies. To date, C2C has provided more than 6 million packages of essentials to children through its Giving Factory® warehouses and Giving Factory Direct® platform.
To donate or get involved with Cradles to Crayons’ efforts in Chicago, visit cradlestocrayons.org.