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In June of 1997, ten United Methodist churches in San Antonio, Texas, established the Hispanic Religious Partnership for Community, a network serving the needs of San Antonio's underserved. The partnership funded church outreach-based programs to address client health and wellness, including after-school tutoring, food pantries, life enrichment, health and wellness fairs, and well-being classes. Later, the organization included direct services, such as utility assistance, emergency food assistance, and referrals for other services. In 2010, the organization refocused its mission in response to consistently witnessing one vital yet forgotten basic needs item that impacts individuals' physical, mental, and economic well-being: diapers. In 2013, the board renamed the organization the Texas Diaper Bank (TXDB) to reflect its mission to address the diaper gap. Today, TXDB is a basic needs bank providing low-income individuals with healthcare essentials, nonperishable items, and the necessary resources to end poverty and succeed fully.
Texas Diaper Bank empowers low-income and at-risk individuals by promoting health equity and expanding access to healthcare essentials, nonperishable items, and the necessary resources to end poverty and succeed fully. TXDB’s vision to end the diaper gap extends beyond providing basic healthcare essentials. TXDB recognizes that the diaper gap is a symptom of poverty and that underserved individuals need additional services and resources to escape the poverty cycle and holistically improve their lives. TXDB envisions that low-income Texans have the healthcare essentials, nonperishable items, and the necessary resources to escape poverty and succeed fully in life. TXDB's programs have a health and anti-poverty initiative providing access to essential healthcare products, parenting education, and the necessary resources to address additional Social Determinants of Health. Since its founding, TXDB has impacted hundreds of thousands of individuals across the state, providing millions of essential healthcare items. In 2022, TXDB impacted over 213,500 individuals, distributing over 2.5 million diaper supplies, 264,000 incontinence supplies, 215,600 period products, and 648,000 supplemental goods across Bexar County and 27 surrounding counties.
Over 18% of San Antonio residents live at or below the Federal Poverty Line. The extreme financial strain limits these individuals' access to general healthcare products and resources, specifically demonstrated through diaper needs. As the cost of diapers and child-care products continue to increase yearly, with products being the most expensive in recent times, procuring diaper essentials becomes financially impossible. While many federal-funded safety net programs assist with food and housing insecurities, programs like Medicaid, WIC, and SNAP do not subsidize diapers or claim diaper products as necessities. Texas Diaper Bank is the only organization in Bexar County that delivers comprehensive healthcare essentials to meet the unique needs of children and adults. By providing healthcare essentials directly to clients, TXDB addresses healthcare product insufficiency affecting low-income individuals and families