Huggies announced that it's giving hugs for the holidays to help babies in need this giving season and beyond. In early 2017, Huggies will become the first global diaper brand to offer a program that will enable diaper banks to purchase bulk quantities of high-quality Huggies diapers at competitive prices. Additionally, now through the end of the year, Huggies is matching all Rewards Point diaper donations made to help babies in need.

This announcement is part of Huggies continued commitment to answering President Obama's March 2016 call for helping the one in three families suffering from diaper need, the inability to provide fresh, clean diapers for their babies.

"These efforts support No Baby Unhugged, our promise to help babies get the hugs they need to thrive," says Giusy Buonfantino, president of Kimberly-Clark Baby and Child Care North America. "We are inspired by parents' hugs – nurturing baby with care, cradling baby in comfort and surrounding baby in protection. The holidays are the perfect time to think about others and give back, so we're turning that inspiration into diaper donations and providing even more access to our high-quality Huggies diapers to benefit the National Diaper Bank Network."

"Having access to a Huggies quality diaper through this program is the best value the network has had yet," says Joanne Goldblum, chief executive officer of the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN). "In addition to the 20 million diapers that Huggies donates to NDBN each year, the new diaper purchasing program will provide NDBN-members access to a trusted source of diapers needed to fully serve struggling families in their local communities."

Parents can help, too, by donating Huggies Rewards Points, and Huggies will match every point donated through Dec. 31. 

"We want all babies to have the opportunity to grow up healthy and happy," Buonfantino says. "In 2017, we will continue to do our part as a leader in the effort to combat diaper need by driving donations and advocacy, and we look forward to launching our new program that will help more babies in need through the National Diaper Bank Network."

Throughout the year, Huggies responded to President Obama's call with incremental diaper donations and partnerships to expand upon its long-standing commitment and leadership in the fight against diaper need. To date, Huggies and its partners have donated more than 48 million diapers and wipes in 2016 alone through:

• Partnerships with Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) and nurses across the country to extend AWHONN's Healthy Mom&Baby Diaper Drive
• Building upon a five-year relationship with Baby2Baby by hosting a diaper donation event and social media activation with Baby2Baby supporter Jennifer Garner to drive advocacy around Diaper Need Awareness Week
• Teaming up with Miami Dolphins, San Francisco 49ers and Detroit Lions along with the nurses of AWHONN to host diaper drives during the football season
• Celebrating the giving season with retailers to drive additional diaper donations based on purchases
• Helping families suffering from the effects of natural disasters

Kimberly-Clark first brought the issue of diaper need to the forefront in 2010, when a groundbreaking Huggies study revealed one in three U.S. moms suffer from the inability to provide fresh, clean diapers for their babies. These parents often have to choose between paying for food or diapers, which can lead to increased stress and strife. Huggies has donated more than 200 million diapers and wipes since 2010 and helped build up a capability of 300+ diaper banks across the country as the founding sponsor of the National Diaper Bank Network.

Additional information about the new diaper purchasing program will be available for diaper banks in early 2017.