If you’re a parent or a grandparent, you know that diapers can be expensive. One organization is working to help families across Sullivan and Orange counties pay for them.

The Baby Steps Baby Pantry held a diaper pop-up in Monticello outside of the Sullivan County Federation for the Homeless, where families were able to pick up a week's worth of diapers and wipes for free.

"That package of diapers is probably 40 bucks at Walmart," said South Fallsburg resident James Paterson, who has a newborn son at home and goes through a lot of diapers.

He noticed the Baby Steps Baby Pantry sign and walked over. He left with a bag of diapers and wipes.

The Baby Steps Baby Pantry is a nonprofit based in Newburgh that has been giving out free diapers, wipes and washes to families in need across Orange and Sullivan counties for the last seven years.

"Especially when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we knew that there was going to be increased need in the community for support with diapers. Diapers are very, very expensive," said Baby Steps Baby Pantry volunteer Laura Donovan.

Inflation has made things worse.

According to Bloomberg News based on data from Nielsen, the unit price of diapers has increased 14% from January 2020 to January 2021. That’s made it difficult to afford diapers for families on tight budgets.

"Everybody needs help. No matter how much you earn or how much you make, kids are a struggle," said Paterson.

Last year, Baby Steps Baby Pantry received a grant from the Community Foundation of Orange and Sullivan County that’s allowed them to purchase more diapers and expand their giveaways.

Now, they do diaper pop-ups across the counties, in addition to their monthly giveaway in Newburgh.

"We show up with trucks full of diapers and give them out to community members who come by," said Donovan.

According to the National Diaper Bank Network, one in three American families experiences diaper need, and that could have a ripple effect on families.

"Without access to dry diapers, it makes a lot of other things difficult," said Donovan. "It could cause health problems for the child. It also means, sometimes child care, they require you to show up with a certain number of diapers. So if a family doesn’t have that, the child may not be able to go to the child care, and then maybe the parents can't go to work."

Families are also feeling the crunch when it comes to baby formula. But there are sources of relief.

Dutchess County organized a baby formula collection in May in collaboration with Community Action Partnership for Dutchess County. In Ulster County, the Salvation Army of Kingston also has a pantry of diapers and baby formula for parents in need.

Parents like Paterson are just grateful programs like this exist.

"It's good when people need something and they can actually get it," he said.

Baby Steps Baby Pantry is always looking for community groups in Sullivan and Orange counties that are interested in teaming up with them to hold diaper pop-ups like this one.

To find out how your organization can team up with them, or where their next pop-up will be, check out its website.