Food Bank for Larimer County to Acquire The Nappie Project

After recently celebrating the distribution of its one-millionth diaper, The Nappie Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to sourcing and distributing diapers to low-income families, announced it is being acquired by the Food Bank for Larimer County. Although the change won’t be final until the beginning of July, much of the planning and preparation is already underway.

The Nappie Project was founded in 2015 when then Food Bank volunteer, Jan Touslee, noticed that many families who needed food also needed other necessities, like diapers. What began as a grassroots effort to supply diapers to low-income families has steadily grown into the organization it is today: one committed to raising awareness of diaper need and its impact on families.

Early on, the Food Bank partnered with The Nappie Project to offer diapers to clients who also shopped for food at its pantries. Over time, the Food Bank became a main distribution point for The Nappie Project, distributing nearly 200,000 diapers last year.

“We have always known that the need exceeds our logistical capability,” said The Nappie Project co-founder Jan Touslee. “That is one of the many reasons we are excited about this new chapter. The Food Bank has the storage, transportation, and distribution know-how to take what we have built and expand it. What a good feeling to have such a great, talented team willing to take on The Nappie Project. I could not be happier or more grateful!”

According to the National Diaper Bank Network, the cost to diaper a child is at least $80/month; a newborn can use as many as 300 diapers/month. In 2020, demand for diapers from The Nappie Project increased by over 40 percent.  In response, The Nappie Project distributed 195,941 diapers and 110,802 wipes through the Food Bank within the same year.

“One of the Food Bank’s core values is dignity. What could be more dignified than helping families in need have access to basic necessities like diapers,” said Food Bank for Larimer County CEO Amy Pezzani. “We are beyond thrilled to take on this great initiative and help it continue to grow so that even more families have access to diapers. I can’t thank Jan and her team enough for the work they have done and their help during this transition.”

In addition, an Open House event at the Food Bank’s 1301 Blue Spruce Dr. west warehouse for The Nappie Project’s partner agencies and volunteers took place on Monday, June 7.  The event served as an opportunity for people to learn about the new partnership and get answers to questions that they may have.

For more information about the Nappie Project visit thenappieproject.org.