California Launches Free Diapers for Newborns

SACRAMENTO, Calif. California families welcoming newborns will receive hundreds of free diapers upon discharge from participating hospitals under a new program announced Friday by Governor Gavin Newsom.

The initiative, described as the first of its kind in the nation, will launch in the first year at 65 to 75 hospitals that handle about a quarter of the state's births and primarily serve low-income patients, according to Newsom's office. It will expand to additional hospitals statewide, though no specific number was provided. Each newborn will receive 400 diapers in sizes suitable for infants up to 14 pounds, enough to cover more than a month of use given that newborns typically require eight to 10 diapers daily.

The program stems from $7.4 million allocated in last year's state budget, with an additional $12.5 million proposed for the fiscal year ending June 2027. The state is partnering with Baby2Baby, an organization that provides essential items to children, to produce the diapers for distribution.

Newsom framed the effort as part of broader state initiatives to support families amid California's high living costs, including free school meals for students and universal...