RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - A Richmond-based non-profit that provides diapers and other essentials to families in need is expanding its reach across Virginia.

Little Hands Virginia currently has about 150,000 diapers in its warehouse, with four times that amount on the way to food banks around the state.

“Food insecurity is directly correlated with diaper need. And so if a family can’t afford food, they really can’t afford diapers,” said Taylor Keeney, founder and executive director of Little Hands Virginia.

Keeney launched the non-profit six years ago to help provide diapers, formula, toys and children’s clothing to families in need in Greater Richmond, providing 100,000 diapers to low-income families in our area each month.

But now, the organization is expanding its efforts to serve even more Virginians.

“During the federal government shutdown, we knew families were impacted, those that weren’t getting a paycheck, making it harder to afford diapers,” Keeney said. “Diapers aren’t covered by WIC, SNAP, TANF or any state or local or federal program, and diapers are expensive. So if you’re prioritizing food, that leaves even less money for diapers, on top of not having your paycheck come in.”

The organization amassed more than half a million diapers within two weeks to send to food banks statewide, and is still collecting donations.

“The food bank network is broken into seven different regions, and so we are serving children all the way down in Hampton Roads, all the way up in Northern Virginia, all the way in the far west part of the state, all the way in the southern part of the state," Keeney said. “So we’re excited to really be supporting babies truly statewide for the first time ever.”

Little Hands needs mostly size four, five and six diapers.

“People love to buy the newborn diapers and the little diapers, but kids live in size four, five and six for longer and so those are the diapers we get asked about the most,” Keeney said.