Kimberly-Clark's U.S. Huggies®
brand is proud to serve as the national sponsor as part
of its Project Hug™ campaign
AUSTIN,
Texas, May 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Hand to
Hold, a national nonprofit that provides early intervention mental
health support for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) parents
before, during and after the NICU has announced its 2024 NICU Grad
Then & Now Photo Contest. The contest opens at 9:00 a.m. (CST) on May 7,
2024 and closes on May 17,
2024 at 10:00 p.m. (CST). The
contest is free to enter and open to all NICU graduates of any age
in the U.S. and Canada.
Hand to Hold celebrates & unites NICU
families with annual contest while raising funds to ensure support
remains free.
One in seven babies is admitted to the NICU each year in
the US1. Some stay for a few days for monitoring, while
others may stay for many months, as they overcome challenges
associated with prematurity, low birth weight, birth defects or
major medical issues, such as heart defects. "NICU Graduation" is
an emotional and celebratory milestone for families regardless of
the duration of their stay. When a baby is born early or with
special healthcare concerns, milestones have a very different
meaning.
"We were so honored that our son Rich was chosen as the winner
of the NICU Grad Then & Now Photo Contest last year! It was an
amazing opportunity to spread awareness about the many resources
Hand to Hold offers to NICU parents. As a special bonus, Rich has
loved starring as the cover model of the Then & Now calendar,"
said Sandi Allred, mom to the 2023
winner.
With the 2023 launch of the annual NICU Grad Then & Now
Photo Contest, Hand to Hold® and presenting sponsor Huggies® have
created a new tradition to celebrate this special NICU milestone.
Huggies® has been a sponsor of Hand to Hold for almost a decade,
and their support has been instrumental in helping to remove
barriers for thousands of NICU families each year to access Hand to
Hold's free mental health support.
"For decades, Huggies has been helping parents provide love,
care and high-quality products to help their babies thrive,"
said Matt Barresi, North American
Vice President of Huggies. "We hold our work with Hand to Hold
incredibly close to our hearts and are proud to partner with this
great nonprofit to celebrate this special occasion together with
families."
Hand to Hold created this national annual celebration to unite
NICU families while raising funds to ensure support services
remain free to all NICU and bereaved families. "While this photo
contest is designed to celebrate NICU graduates, we acknowledge and
remember the babies who were unable to overcome the challenges they
faced at birth. Their stories inspire us daily and underscore the
need to celebrate NICU grads for all they have overcome and
accomplished," said Kelli Kelley,
Hand to Hold's Founder and CEO.
For more information enter & vote
today!
Eligibility:
- NICU grads may be any age to enter.
- All NICU grads of any duration of stay are welcome.
- Open to U.S. and Canadian residents.
Entry Categories (the year the child graduated from the
NICU):
- Class of '24 - '23: Huggies® Little Snugglers
®
- Class of '22 - '21: Huggies® Little Movers ®
- Class of '20 -'19: Huggies® Pull-Ups ®
- Class of '20 -'19: Pre-K Kids
- Class of '18 - '13: Elementary
- Class of '12 - '10: Middle School
- Class of '09 - '06: High School
- Class of '05 & Earlier: Adult Grads
Voting:
- 100% of proceeds directly support NICU families through Hand to
Hold® a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
- All votes are tax-deductible.
- Donate to vote. Votes are $1 each
and are unlimited.
- Win great prizes! Your child could be featured on the
cover of our 2025 NICU Grad Then & Now calendars, win gifts to
support your NICU team, and much more!
Learn more about prizing
About Hand to Hold®:
Hand to Hold® is a national nonprofit 501(c)(3) that is
dedicated to providing personalized emotional support, education
and community to parents who have had children in the Neonatal
Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or the loss of a baby. Hand to Hold is
removing barriers for support by growing a hybrid model of
in-person and virtual support in service to their mission. Support
is provided in English or Spanish to parents at no cost to
families, and all support is designed with the emotional, physical,
and social needs of the NICU parent. For more information, visit
Hand toHold.org.
About Huggies® Brand
For more than 40
years, Huggies® has been helping parents provide love, care
and reassurance to their babies. From developing innovative,
everyday products for babies to partnering with NICU nurses to
develop a special diaper and wipes line for the most fragile
babies, Huggies® is dedicated to helping ensure all babies get the
care they need to thrive. Huggies® is proud to be the founding
sponsor of the National Diaper Bank Network, a nationwide nonprofit
dedicated to eliminating diaper need in America since 2011.
Huggies® is also the national sponsor of nonprofit Hand to Hold,
which provides personalized support before, during and after NICU
stays and infant loss. For more information on product offerings or
our community efforts, please visit Huggies.com.
1Source: National Perinatal Information
System/Quality Analytic Services; www.npci.org. Prepared by March
of Dimes Perinatal Data Center, 2011.
CONTACT:
Katrina Moline,
Executive Director,
email address: katrina@handtohold.org
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hand-to-hold-launches-national-nicu-graduate-then--now-photo-contest-to-kick-off-graduation-season-302137523.html
SOURCE Hand to Hold