Toys ‘R’ Us franchise creates largest retail partnership in the history of Toys for Tots with 2006 Holiday Toy Drive.
Toys ‘R’ Us and Babies ‘R’ Us Stores to Become ‘Giving Headquarters,’ While Company Establishes
Educational Platform to Teach Kids the Importance of Charitable Giving
Today, Toys “R” Us, Inc. announced its plans to partner with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation on a nationwide campaign to boost toy and monetary donations during the 2006 Christmas season. Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us stores across the country will serve as the “Giving Headquarters” from October through December by collecting both cash and toys in an effort to make the holidays much brighter for America’s neediest children. Online shoppers will also be able to make a cash donation via Toysrus.com/ToysforTots.
In conjunction with today’s announcement, the company made a $1 million toy donation to Toys for Tots, which will be distributed by Toys for Tots to local communities across the country.
In addition to the Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us in-store partnership, the Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund announced its intention to make the annual holiday toy drive one of its ongoing, signature programs. To kick off the program, the Fund will make a $100,000 cash donation to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, which will be used to purchase toys for impoverished children during the Christmas season.
“There is such a dynamic synergy between Toys “R” Us, Inc. and Toys for Tots, as two leaders that make the world a better place for kids unite to bring smiles and toys to needy children during the holidays,” said Jerry Storch, Chairman and CEO, Toys “R” Us, Inc. “We are committed to making this year’s Toys for Tots campaign the most successful in its history by motivating our customers, our employees and the communities we serve to reach our goal.”
In 2004, Toys “R” Us, Inc. partnered with the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation to create the largest retail partnership in the history of Toys for Tots. Last Christmas, Toys “R” Us, Inc. contributed $4 million in cash and toys to support the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Representing a combination of donations by Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us customers, as well as contributions from the Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund, the money raised made Toys “R” Us, Inc. the number one cash supporter of the Marine Toys for Tots Holiday Toy Drive in 2005. This donation helped Toys for Tots provide 18.4 million toys to 7.4 million needy children across the United States.
This holiday season, Toys “R” Us will leverage its position as America’s toy store to launch an educational platform to serve various communities across the country. As part of the in-store campaign, 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 will tap community leaders to instruct children on the importance of charitable giving by teaching a kid-friendly course on the “ABCs of Giving,” followed by a shopping excursion to purchase toys for the Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund Holiday Toy Drive.
According to the most recent U.S. Census, there are an estimated 13 million children in the United States living in poverty. As a result, Toys for Tots conducts many activities throughout the year that help generate toy and monetary donations to aid in the development of underprivileged children in the U.S. Because Toys “R” Us, Inc. and Toys for Tots are committed to providing time, money and toys to improving the lives of children in communities across the country, pairing their collective resources moves both organizations closer to achieving that goal.
“For almost 60 years, both Toys “R” Us, Inc. and Toys for Tots have brought smiles to the faces of children across the country by sharing the joy that comes with a toy under the tree during the holidays,” said Lieutenant General Matthew Cooper, USMC (Ret), president and CEO of the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. “By creating this partnership with Toys “R” Us, Inc., there’s a greater opportunity to make a widespread impact towards a happier Christmas for children who are the most in need of our assistance.”
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 655 international toy stores, including licensed and franchise stores as well as through its Internet site at https://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 236 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at https://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 520 communities covering all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit https://www.toysfortots.org/.