Halifax Diaper Bank to close in September until new head can take over service

Yuan Wang · CBC News

· Posted: Jul 25, 2026 1:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 25

A Halifax-based service that shares diapers with families in need will close in early September because the founder has decided to step down.

Lydia O’Regan, founder of the Halifax Diaper Bank, announced the closure of the volunteer organization in a social media post on Thursday, citing the physical and mental strain of managing the service and her personal life.

She said a successor will take over the diaper bank, but a reopening date remains to be determined.

O’Regan told CBC News she has filled roughly 2,000 requests and shared 15,000 diapers with families in need since she launched the diaper bank in September 2025, relying on donations and volunteer deliveries.

Mohamed Ould Ramoul, the father of an eight-month-old girl, said the diaper bank provides him with “crucial peace of mind” when his family’s budget gets tight.

The closure is “a loss for our community,” he told CBC News.

“It’s not my first spot to go to, but at least I know there is a safety net if we’re not meeting the budget goals by the end of the month.”

• Video

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O’Regan said she started to feel overwhelmed by a growing demand, making it hard to balance the volunteer service with her family role.

“It was a really tough decision to come to because I love the diaper bank,” she said.

‘It’s really all-encompassing’

O’Regan said she spends 30 to 40 hours a week on the diaper bank operation, including managing donations, taking in requests and delivering supplies to families with limited mobility.

She also shares experience and instruction with people who consult her about opening diaper banks in their own areas. Nine are running now in the Atlantic provinces and Alberta with her help.

On top of that, she said, she has a full-time job and a toddler to look after.

“It’s really all-encompassing, and it’s something that I spend every waking free moment on,” she said.

With another baby on the way, she decided it was time to step down permanently.

‘Something’s broken here‘

In addition to the surging volume of demand, the expanding source of requests also increased the pressure on O’Regan.

She said she has delivered diapers to hospital patients, at the request of hospitals, which have also asked her if she has bassinets.

“Something’s broken in the system because I’m just one woman with a Facebook page,” she said. “I don’t understand why government organizations are leaning on me for help.”

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O’Regan posted her notice six weeks before closure to give ample time to plan. She would love to lead the diaper bank in its growth, she said, but it’s beyond her reach at the moment.

And she’s happy to have someone with experience to take it over — Jill Cross, who manages the Fredericton Diaper Bank, and will be moving to Dartmouth next year.

O’Regan said she would be thrilled to talk to anyone who understands the issues and wants to tackle them.

“Because that’s not just peanuts, right?” she said. “That’s a pretty big issue [we] try to solve.”

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