Brooke Shields Joins Toys R Us Franchise
Posted on: 22/11/2006
Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us Stores Become 'Giving Headquarters' This Christmas to Make Millions of Holiday Dreams Come True.
With 13 million children living in poverty in the U.S. and thousands more born into an impoverished situation every day, today Toys "R" Us, Inc. kicked off its most ambitious national toy drive campaign to bring smiles and toys to needy children during the holiday season.
Enlisting the help of celebrity actress Brooke Shields, Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores launched the Million Toy Drive to boost toy and monetary donations to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Through its 2006 holiday toy drive, Toys "R" Us, Inc. has created the largest retail partnership in the history of Toys for Tots.
Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores will serve as the "Giving Headquarters" this Christmas with a company goal of raising $4 million through in-store and online donations and collecting one million toys in retail locations across the country. All money and toy donations received in Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores will help needy children in the local communities where the donations are made.
"As a mom of two small children, it breaks my heart that so many kids go without even one toy at Christmastime," said Brooke Shields. "By working with Toys 'R' Us and Toys for Tots, I hope to encourage parents to teach their kids about the importance of giving back to their communities, while motivating everyone who can to make a donation to this incredibly worthy cause."
Toys "R" Us, Inc. will officially kick off the Million Toy Drive during the weekend of Friday, November 3 through Sunday, November 5, with a Toys for Tots representative stationed at each U.S. store location. Customers may donate a new, unwrapped toy at any Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us store across the country until Wednesday, November 22. To ensure the company reaches its toy drive goal, Toys "R" Us will match each donation, toy for toy, up to one million toys.
Making it easier for customers to select a toy for a needy child, "wish lists" providing suggestions on age-appropriate toys will be available at all stores.
"The 'R' Us family is deeply committed to making a difference in the lives of America's neediest children this holiday season," said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys "R" Us, Inc. "As a company that is in the toy and baby business year-round, we know that a toy is magic in the hands of a child. We are very proud to partner with Toys for Tots in bringing Christmas joy to needy children across the country through our Million Toy Drive."
In addition to the Million Toy Drive campaign, Toys "R" Us will launch an educational platform to help parents teach kids about the joys of giving. As part of this endeavour, select Toys "R" Us retail locations will host special "classes" to educate children on the value of giving back to those less fortunate. Toys "R" Us has tapped celebrity moms, including Brooke Shields in New York, Jennie Garth in Los Angeles and Maria Celeste Arraras in Miami, to teach a kid-friendly course on the "ABCs of Giving," followed by a shopping excursion to purchase toys for the Million Toy Drive.
For almost 60 years, Toys for Tots and Toys "R" Us, Inc. have brought smiles to the faces of children by sharing the joy that comes with finding a toy under the tree. Since its inception in 1947, Toys for Tots has touched the lives of more than 160 million children nationwide by ensuring America's neediest children have a present to unwrap on Christmas morning. Founded in 1948 by Charles Lazarus, Toys "R" Us has become one of the most beloved and recognized brands in the world. Since it was established in 1992, the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund has donated millions of dollars each year to organizations and charities that benefit children in need.
"The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and Toys 'R' Us, Inc. are united in their commitment to make this year's holiday toy drive campaign the most successful in the almost 60 year history of Toys for Tots," said Lt. Gen. Matthew T. Cooper, USMC (Ret.), President and CEO, Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. "With the help of Toys 'R' Us, Inc., the Marines will deliver a message of hope to needy youngsters and help them experience the joy of the holidays."
Toys "R" Us is the world's leading specialty toy retailer. Currently it sells merchandise through more than 1,400 stores, including 587 stores in the U.S. and 659 international toy stores, including licensed and franchise stores as well as through its Internet site at http://www.toysrus.com/. Babies "R" Us is the largest baby product specialty store chain in the world and a leader in the juvenile industry, and sells merchandise through 245 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at http://www.babiesrus.com/.
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, public charity is the authorized fundraising and support organization for the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. The Foundation provides the funding and support needed for successful annual toy collection and distribution campaigns. The Foundation is located at Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia. Local Marine Corps Reserve units and volunteer organizations collect and distribute toys in nearly 540 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit http://www.toysfortots.org/.
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