- Lawmakers discuss funding for diaper banks amid growing need.
- They emphasize the importance of supporting families in need in different ways.
- Their actions could lead to helping neighbors live financially well.
It's a conversation where lawmakers on both sides of the aisle can agree.
"It's too expensive to raise a family in the state of Michigan," Republican State Representative Bill G. Schuette said.
People in our communities are struggling," Democratic State Representative Emily Dievendorf said.
Community diaper banks in our neighborhoods can give parents in need some help.
A diaper bank provides free diapers to families in need.
"Diaper banks are essential to somebody being able to raise a happy, healthy child," Dievendorf said.
WATCH: After our recent story, Neighborhood Reporter Sarah Poulos tells us how one diaper bank is seeing donations pour in.
But your FOX47 neighborhood reporters found out that the supply at some of these diaper banks is running out.
That's because two year's worth of state money that goes toward diapers for the Capital Area Diaper Bank, was used up in less than a year and a half.
As your state capitol reporter, I dug into the numbers. and I found that last year, there was almost four-and-a-half million dollars available statewide for diapers and diaper supplies.
That money came from both the state and federal governments.
When I looked at this year's budget, I found the state didn't put in its own money and only used two million dollars from the federal government.
What that means is that public help for diapers was about two million dollars lower this year, compared to last.
Democratic State Representative Emily Dievendorf represents an area that includes the Capital Area Diaper Bank at the Lansing Mall.
Dievendorf says the new budget will be the way to make things right.
"It is my hope that we meet the expressed need of our most vulnerable community members with this next budget and here on out," Dievendorf said.
And across the aisle, representatives are looking to make diapers more affordable.
"So we do that by eliminating the sales and use tax on childcare items like diapers, strollers and other items," Schuette said.
After I heard that idea, I wanted to know what getting rid of the sales tax on diapers would mean for my neighbors who have children.
According to Pampers, a newborn can need up to 70 diapers a week.
I looked up a price on diapers and did the math. It all means that families with a newborn spend more than five dollars a month in sales tax on diapers.
Without the tax, that family could save about 60 dollars a year.
As your state capitol reporter, I'll let you know if the state makes any changes to the sales tax on diapers.
In the meantime, I wanted to bring you ideas from both sides of the aisle on how to help working families in our neighborhoods.
"Michigan needs to be the best state in the entire country to raise your family," Schuette said.
"I will always advocate for us to meet the needs of the folks who need it the most," Dievendorf said.
UPDATE:
I worked on this story throughout the week, and I have a major update for our neighbors.
After your FOX47 neighborhood reporters heard the concerns from diaper banks and the neighbors who rely on them, I asked local lawmakers if the state had any plans to help.
And I got an answer, that's worth millions of dollars.
Here's what happened...
I reached out to State Representative Kara Hope, who later sent me a text.
She told me she learned the state will be allocating 4.2 million dollars for diaper banks to help get them through this budget year,
So I reached out to the State Health and Human Services department.
And they confirmed to me that this will be additional state money for diaper banks.
So here's what it means and the answer I was able to get for neighbors:
There will be more than six million dollars in public money to help neighbors in need get diapers.
That's even more than last year.
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