Born of our spirit of caring and our commitment to supporting sustainable community development, the newly created Domtar Comfort and Care diaper assistance program helps address diaper poverty. The program aims to alleviate financial and emotional stress on families by providing a process for donations to diaper assistance organizations such as diaper banks and care facilities.
“This initiative began organically, with diaper banks reaching out to us for donations,” said Heather Stowe, manager of corporate social responsibility at Domtar. “We recognized the need, and it grew from there. The Comfort and Care program will allow us to be more intentional with our efforts. It will join Domtar’s Powerful Pages program under our corporate responsibility initiatives, aligning with the company’s commitment to enhancing health and wellness in our communities.”
The Need for Diaper Assistance
According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, approximately 5.58 million children in the United States under the age of 3 who live in low-income households lack an adequate supply of diapers. Diaper poverty can lead to serious health consequences and emotional trauma. Babies who remain too long in soiled diapers are exposed to potential health risks associated with diaper rash. Additionally, as babies with severe diaper rash often cry more, they are more at risk for abuse from parents who are already in severe financial distress. Mothers experience emotional trauma when they can’t change their children’s dirty diapers and report feeling guilty, stressed and helpless. Many of these issues can also affect adults who don’t have an adequate supply of incontinence supplies.
Compounding the problem, federal assistance programs in the United States, like food stamps, don’t cover diapers. Additionally, most states impose sales tax on diapers, making it even harder for low-income families to afford them.
Diaper poverty reaches far beyond the United States. It is a significant global issue that can be addressed by diaper assistance programs like Comfort and Care.
“When we first started to research diaper poverty the statistics were astounding and heartbreaking at the same time,” said Brad Goodwin, president of Domtar’s North America branch of Personal Care. “We believe that everyone deserves personal care, and the new Comfort and Care initiative will really allow us to bring our mission and Domtar’s values to life.”
Please contact Heather Stowe at heather.stowe@domtar.com with any questions about the Domtar Comfort and Care diaper assistance program.
