P&G's Downy Fabric Softener Introduces New Downy Touch of Comfort Bottle with Portion of Proceeds Helping to Give 10,000 More Quilts to Hospitalized Children in 2010

CINCINNATI, Ohio, Feb. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- In celebration of its 50th year,  Downy fabric softener has launched a new specially marked bottle, with five cents from every purchase helping to provide comforting quilts to hospitalized children. Each year in the United States, children account for more than six million hospital stays and must confront the challenges of overcoming illness while staying in unfamiliar hospital environments. In January 2009, Downy partnered with Quilts for Kids, Inc. and award-winning actress and star of "Grey's Anatomy," Chandra Wilson, to launch the Downy Touch of Comfort Program – the brand's first large-scale cause marketing program. Last year, Downy delivered thousands of quilts to hospitalized children nationwide, bringing them each a small, but meaningful, "touch of comfort." Now, Downy is elevating the program by pledging to deliver 10,000 more quilts to children.

"Over the past 50 years Downy has helped bring comfort into the homes of many families," said Mary Pochobradsky, Downy Marketing Director.  "With the introduction of our Downy Touch of Comfort Program last year, we found a way to help bring the comforts of home to hospitalized children; now we're excited to extend the reach and impact even further by donating five cents from each specially marked bottle purchased by consumers to Quilts for Kids."

The program will be supported with a full-scale integrated marketing campaign that includes public relations, digital, advertising and in-store efforts that launch this month.

How Consumers Can Make A Difference

Consumers may purchase specially marked Downy to help with the creation and delivery of handmade quilts to thousands of hospitalized children. They can look for the new bottle design, which features a "quilted" label and the Downy Touch of Comfort logo on the front.  The five cents from each specially marked bottle will help Quilts for Kids, Inc. continue bringing smiles to children during tough times. With every consumer's purchase, Downy and Quilts for Kids can help these children feel more comforted during medical treatments and hospital stays.

"Every time you purchase a specially marked bottle of Downy, you're helping to put a smile on the face of a child," says Chandra Wilson. "As a mother, the most important thing to me is caring for and bringing comfort to my children, and I knew I wanted to play a role in this program so I could help bring that comfort to other children as well."  

Quilts for Kids, Inc. is a non-profit organization that began in 2000 to transform discontinued fabrics into quilts that comfort hospitalized children. Now, with the help of the Downy Touch of Comfort program, the non-profit organization has been able to reach more children nationwide.

"Through the Downy Touch of Comfort program, we are able to reach many more children who we never would have been able to reach on our own," says Linda Arye, founder of Quilts for Kids, Inc. "We can buy more fabric and make more quilts to take care of the kids because of Downy, and that gives us hope for the future."

Engage At Downy.com

With the new enhancements to the Downy Touch of Comfort program, Downy.com now offers consumers new ways to engage in the program and witness first-hand the impact of bringing a smile to a hospitalized child's face. On the site, consumers will find the new Downy Touch of Comfort documentary, "The Gift of Comfort," which stars spokesperson Chandra Wilson and several affected children.  Additionally, the Web site hosts several new interactive features that give consumers an inside look at the program and allow them to add a "touch of comfort" in their own way:

• Order a quilt kit to create a quilt and send to Quilts for Kids, Inc. for distribution to a child in need
• Find information about how to make a direct donation to Quilts for Kids, Inc.
• Find out how to contact your local Quilts for Kids, Inc. chapter to get directly involved
• Share your story about the quilt you have created or how the program has affected you

To learn more about Downy Touch of Comfort and how you may get involved, please visit Downy.com.  

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Quilts for Kids, Inc.

Quilts for Kids, Inc. is a non-profit organization that transforms discontinued designer fabrics into quilts that comfort hospitalized children suffering from life-threatening illnesses as well children of abuse.

Headquartered in Yardley, PA, Quilts for Kids, Inc. was founded in August 2000 by Linda Arye.  The organization was established with hopes of comforting children hospitalized with life threatening illnesses by providing a hand made patchwork quilt.  These quilts are created by caring volunteer quilters nationwide who wish to make a difference in the lives of these hospitalized children.  Since then, the charity has distributed over 60,000 quilts worldwide and saved millions of pounds of fabric from landfills. Quilts for Kids, Inc. is associated with children's hospitals throughout the United States and has 50 chapters throughout North America.

Because of allergens, children often cannot bring their stuffed animals to the hospital. However, most hospitals and treatment centers welcome the Quilts for Kids, Inc. washable, all-cotton quilts, which kids can hold onto for security and comfort.

To learn more about Quilts for Kids, Inc., visit www.QuiltsforKids.org.

About the Children's Miracle Network

Children's Miracle Network is a non-profit organization dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children by raising funds for children¹s hospitals across North America. Each year the 170 Children's Miracle Network hospitals provide the finest medical care, life-saving research and preventative education to help millions of kids overcome diseases and injuries of every kind.

Through its year-round efforts to help kids, Children's Miracle Network has raised more than $3.4 billion to date, most of which is donated a dollar or two at a time by caring individuals across North America.

For more information about Children's Miracle Network, please visit www.ChildrensMiracleNetwork.org.

About Chandra Wilson

Chandra Wilson currently appears as Dr. Miranda Bailey on ABC's hit series "Grey's Anatomy."  Her numerous television credits include a series regular on the ABC series "Bob Patterson," and guest starring roles on "The Sopranos," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Sex and the City," "Third Watch," "100 Centre Street" "Cosby" and "The Cosby Show." She has had recurring roles on "One Life to Live" and "Queens Supreme," and a principle role in the CBS Schoolbreak Special, "Sexual Considerations." She has also appeared in national commercials for Blockbuster Video, Burger King, Scope and the United Negro College Fund, as well as numerous radio commercials.

SOURCE Procter & Gamble