Lisa Truong was enjoying a rare moment of quiet with her newborn when an Oprah episode changed everything. Watching families struggle during the Great Recession sparked something deep inside her. As a new mom blessed with everything her baby needed, Truong couldn’t shake the thought of other parents making impossible choices.
“What if I couldn’t afford diapers for my baby?” she wondered.
During a sushi dinner with fellow mom Rachel Fudge, Truong pitched the idea of a Mother’s Day diaper drive. Little did she know this simple conversation would launch a movement that has since distributed over 56 million diapers to families in need.
While initially planning a clothing collection, their research revealed a shocking gap. Public assistance programs like food stamps and WIC don’t cover diapers – a basic necessity costing up to $100 monthly per child.
The pair launched their first diaper drive on Mother’s Day 2009, collecting 15,000 diapers through mommy blogs and parent networks. When they discovered that diapers weren’t covered by any social safety net programs, what started as a one-time project transformed into Help a Mother Out.
“It just shocked us that this was a forgotten basic human need,” says Truong.
From its humble kitchen-table beginnings, HAMO has grown into a nationally-recognized organization with a $3 million operating budget. In 2015, Truong established the San Francisco Diaper Bank – the nation’s first publicly funded diaper program – in partnership with the city government.
For parents like Ingrid Gomez, who lost her job during the pandemic, HAMO’s support was life-changing. Unable to afford both diapers and utilities, she faced impossible choices.
“I would use what I would spend on diapers on the water bill or the electricity bill,” Gomez explains.
These dilemmas are alarmingly common. One in three American families struggles with diaper need, forcing parents to leave babies in soiled diapers longer, reuse disposables, or fashion makeshift alternatives from newspapers or torn bed sheets.
The impact extends beyond hygiene. Without clean diapers, babies can’t attend daycare, preventing parents from working or attending school. Studies show maternal depression is linked more strongly to diaper need than food insecurity.
HAMO’s research reveals striking results – 97% of children receiving their diapers are healthier, 98% of families report reduced stress, and 95% have more money for food.
During the pandemic, the organization stepped up dramatically, providing over 12 million diapers to partner distribution centers. They’ve even expanded internationally, arranging a donation of 100,000 diapers for Ukrainian refugees.
Truong continues advocating for systemic change, working to get diapers included in the social safety net nationwide. Her efforts have already yielded results in California, where recent legislation supports diaper assistance programs across multiple counties.
“San Francisco is only the beginning,” says Truong, who hopes her model will inspire similar programs across the country. “Diapers are a small thing that can have a really big impact in the life of a baby and a family.”
With thousands of families still in need, Truong remains focused on both immediate relief and long-term policy change – ensuring that no parent has to choose between clean diapers and other necessities.
“Having diapers for your baby can be the difference that makes someone feel like they are doing a good job as a parent,” Truong says.
For more information or to donate, visit Help a Mother Out’s website.
