City Accepting Applications for Diaper Changing Station Grant
Council Helps Small Businesses Evolve to
Become More Family Friendly
[COLUMBUS-OH] No
parent wants to find themselves with a child who has a dirty diaper and nowhere
but the bathroom floor to change it. This dilemma prompted one constituent to
reach out to City Council to find a solution.
In
response, Council created a diaper changing station grant program to increase
equal access to diaper changing stations in small businesses and organizations
for all parents and guardians in the City of Columbus. The application is
available at: www.columbus.gov/changingstation.
“This
is a great opportunity for our small businesses and rec centers,” said
Councilmember Michael Stinziano. “Columbus is home to the modern family, where
parents share equal and interchangeable responsibilities. I want local
facilities and our local governance to reflect that.”
Businesses
and other organizations meeting the following criteria are encouraged to apply
for changing stations to grant equal access to their facilities:
- Business/organization must be located in the City of
Columbus.
- Applicants must be a small business or organization
determined to be in good standing with the City of Columbus, with fifty or
less employees, with public-use restrooms.
- Locations with gender-designated restrooms must apply
for, and install upon award, one changing station in each
gender-designated restroom.
- Locations with a family, or, gender-neutral restroom,
may apply for, and install upon award, one diaper changing station.
"As
a dad who has changed a lot of diapers in sub-optimal environments, options to
change diapers when out and about in a clean, warm, and safe environment are
few and far between, said Walt Keys, Creative Director and Co-Founder of The
Land-Grant Brewing Company. “Too many diapers get changed in the backs of cars
or in a scramble in some non-equipped bathroom. On top of that, as a business
owner whose daughter spends a good deal of time at the office with dad and mom,
it was a no-brainer for us to install changing stations in both restrooms.”
Council passed
ordinance 1687-2017 to enter into a contract with Ohio-based Foundations World Wide, Inc.
This funding allows eligible individuals and businesses in the City of Columbus
to receive up to two baby changing stations at no charge.
###