TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — With the prices of just about everything going up, Pima County is helping parents with the cost of raising newborns and toddlers.
Pima County Community Action Agency launched its Diaper Distribution Program in 2023, providing eligible families with free baby wipes and up to 150 diapers or pull-ups per child, per month.
The program distributed 563,240 diapers from July 5, 2023, to Sept. 30, 2024, before being paused.
The program relaunched in June 2025 with an allocation of 250,000 diapers through a partnership with Wildfire.
In 2025, over 178,000 diapers have been distributed so far.
The average cost of diapers is about 70 dollars per month and 840 per year, according to Cross River Therapy.
You can see how that can add up quickly, especially for parents with more than one kid in diapers — in some cases, forcing moms to cut back on basic essentials.
Patricia Fierros, program coordinator for the Diaper Distribution Program says they still have plenty of diapers to give away.
“We’re truly busting at the seams right now. It’s about 75,000 diapers that we have in our building. It’s not a big building but we hope to get rid of those as soon as possible so the more people that come, the better," Fierros said.
Talleeba Davis is one mom that has been taking advantage of the program for over two years.
“This organization, they’re really helpful. They’ve been helping me since I’ve been in Tucson. You know this is my second child and I wish it was around when I had my first," Davis said.
Estibaliz Davila's is using the Diaper Distribution Program for the first time for her one-year-old and newborn.
“I’m using this because I lost my job and it’s going to help," Davila said.
She says her son Mateo uses about eight diapers per day.
According to Cross River Therapy, babies will use around 6,000 diapers during their first two years.
Pima County Community Action Agency says inventory can change, so it's best to call ahead and see if they have the sizes you're looking for.
“Well we usually have 0-7. We actually ran out of newborn and one. We’re running low on size two and three and then Pull-Ups we have 2T to 4T right now,” Fierros said.
To be an eligible recipient, you must show proof of income to include the last 30 days or a 2025 government assistance award letter, such as a SNAP, AHCCCS or WIC approval letter.
The household income should not exceed 200% of gross federal poverty guidelines (PDF). You must have a state-issued ID and proof of guardianship for each child.
To apply, You can call 520-724-2460 to begin the intake process or walk-in at the Pima County Housing Center on 801 W. Congress St., Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
You can find more information here.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
