The Junior League of New Orleans (JLNO) is excited to announce the very generous $200,000 gift from local philanthropist and New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson to expand the impact of the Diaper Bank, a cornerstone program providing essential hygienic products to families across the Greater New Orleans area.
One in every two families struggles to afford diapers. Three in five parents miss work or school because they cannot afford the diapers required to leave their baby in childcare.
Over the past 10 years, the JLNO Diaper Bank has distributed more than 10 million diapers throughout the community – improving infant health, reducing parental stress and removing barriers to accessing childcare.
Benson said, “The health and well‑being of our families are the foundation of a strong New Orleans. When we care for our children, we care for the future of this city we all love. The Junior League of New Orleans’ Diaper Bank provides more than just physical supplies; it provides dignity, stability, and a sense of relief to parents and caregivers who are doing everything they can to give their children a healthy start in life.”
The funding comes at a critical juncture for the organization. Over the past year, the Diaper Bank was only able to fulfill approximately 80% of diaper requests from its community partners, leaving an unmet need of over 132,000 diapers. Due to capacity constraints, the program currently has a waitlist of 50 community organizations seeking to distribute supplies. Benson’s gift will allow JLNO to procure additional inventory—including diapers, period supplies and adult incontinence products—and strategically expand its partner network to reach those currently on the waitlist.
JLNO president Michelle Clarke Payne said, “Since its inception, the Junior League of New Orleans’ Diaper Bank has distributed upwards of $2.7M in free products to the community, but the need still outweighs our current capacity Mrs. Benson’s generosity is a defining moment for the thousands of families we can serve. Her gift does more than fill our shelves; it gives us the flexibility to scale our operations to match the true level of need in our city.”
In recognition of this significant investment in the community, JLNO will name its primary volunteer workspace the Benson Volunteer Center. The space will serve as the heart of the Diaper Bank’s operations, where League members and community volunteers gather to sort, wrap and prep thousands of products for distribution.
For more information about the JLNO Diaper Bank, please visit www.jlno.org.
