by Angela Clark/MBCH
About 1 in 2 families are not able to provide enough diapers to keep their child clean, dry and healthy, but Happy Bottoms has taken the initiative to change that; and MBCH Children and Family Ministries has partnered with Happy Bottoms to help fill that gap in the Kansas City area.
Diapers are not currently covered under government safety net programs like WIC, SNAP and Medicaid. But roughly 21,000 children throughout the KC metropolitan area need diaper assistance. On average, just over 5 workdays a month are missed because parents aren’t able to provide the required number of diapers for their child to attend daycare. For that reason, Happy Bottoms partners with many social service agencies, like MBCH Children and Family Ministries, because we are able to provide other services and resources, as well as provide additional support through the Home Visitation Program and the LIGHT House’s Home-Based Pregnancy Services. The goal is to help lift them out of poverty and bridge the gap to the possibility of providing a secure and stable home for their little ones.
Additionally, the Peculiar campus has become the only public distribution agency providing diapers in Cass County, MO. We are able to provide 75 diapers or 50 pull-ups to each registered child, every month; for children aged birth to 4 years of age. Happy Bottoms will also provide free potty-training kits for children that are ready to transition from diapers, making it even easier for families to kick start their journey into freedom from dirty diapers.
In 2025, The LIGHT House distributed approximately 45,000 to 67 unduplicated children. In the first quarter of 2026, they distributed 6,425 diapers. The moms are so grateful for this program!
From April 2025 through December 2025, the Peculiar office distributed nearly 50,000 diapers, and our program is growing! Distributions for the first quarter in 2026 have already totaled 17,575; we are currently distributing over 6,500 diapers per month in the second quarter! While these statistics show that we are impacting our community, the relationships that we are building with these families provide an even broader impact. We have prayed with our families over the loss of a child or loved one, their victories are our victories, and their losses are our losses. The families that visit us to pick up diapers are very appreciative, and they leave our offices knowing that they have a friend in their community they can rely on.
The Happy Bottoms diaper bank currently receives diaper donations from community diaper drives and individual donations, and through partnerships with the National Diaper Bank Network. They also purchase diapers through various vendors, at a reduced cost, essentially saving 30-50% of the price that would be spent in a retail setting. The diaper program is a tremendous asset to the local communities, but unfortunately, it doesn’t address the need for wipes, and some families struggle to stretch the diapers they receive in an effort to make them last the entire month. In order to help off-set those additional needs, MBCH Children and Family Ministries accepts donations of diapers, pull-ups, and wipes.
For additional information, please contact the Peculiar office at 816-779-5173.
Angela Clark serves as the office manager for MBCH Children & Family Ministries in Peculiar, Mo.
