Kimberly-Clark to donate millions of Huggies to diaper banks, push to spur more donations

Kimberly-Clark to donate millions of Huggies

NEW YORK — The maker of Huggies plans to give away millions of diapers starting this week and raise awareness about parents who struggle financially to provide them for their children.

Kimberly-Clark Corp., maker of Kleenex and other products, will distribute 2 million Huggies to 10 diaper banks around the country starting this week, and up to an additional 18 million later in the fall. It’s part of a promotion that pledges one diaper donation for every pack sold. If all 20 million diapers are given away, the “Every little bottom effort” will be worth $5 million this year.

The company plans to make these donations regularly from now on, and hopes that a campaign through social media, messaging on packaging and advertising will generate more donations to diaper banks. It previously made donations on a case-by-case basis, so this is its first large-scale effort.

The 200,000 diapers the Diaper Bank in New Haven, Conn., will receive will last one month — going in 50-diaper allotments to parents of 4,000 children, said Joanne Goldblum. She founded the effort more than six years ago after seeing the need during her home visits as a social worker. She used to give 100 diapers per child but halved that to serve more children.

She said more working families are seeking help because they can’t provide diapers for their children. That can cost $40 or more a month for the typical child.

Some parents are reusing diapers or buying one size to fit children of different ages. She cited one father who works two jobs and sought out the group’s services after buying one size for two children of different ages.

“He would just make it work. He would take the middle size and make that last for the whole week,” she said. “That’s not going to be what’s best for the family.”

Kimberly-Clark plans to continue donations in future years, said Stu Schneider, senior brand director of Huggies.

Procter & Gamble Co., which makes rival brand Pampers, donates diapers through Feeding America.

The Community Closet in Bridgeport, Conn., now provides diapers to 225 children a month, up from 100 children a year and a half ago, said Karen Seferi, director of the center that also distributes clothing. Seferi said she receives about two dozen new applications for diapers a month — which require proof of birth and income — and an increase among construction workers and day laborers who are struggling.

Babies need to diapers changed frequently or they risk diaper rash, which can lead to infections and cranky babies, another strain for already stressed-out families, she said.

“It’s a basic need for babies,” she said. “They shouldn’t have to suffer because of the economy. They should have what they need: food, shelter, clothing and a dry bottom.”

On the Net:

www.everylittlebottom.com