Toymakers Offer Products, Events to Aid Families and Essential Personnel
May 14, 2020 | Toy companies continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic with new virtual events, funding, and donations of essential medical supplies. Listed below are a few of the latest efforts. For more examples of how the toy community is giving back, click here.
Basic Fun!
Basic Fun! is donating 4,000 3M N95 masks to hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons in need nationwide (pictured). Donation recipients include the JFK Medical Center's dialysis department, Hardee Correctional Institution, and B&B Homecare of Broward – all chosen by the company’s employees. In addition to the N95 masks, the packages also include toys such as Pound Puppies and Cutetitos as well as personalized thank you notes.
Mattel
Mattel is donating a doll for each eligible career doll sold from May 14 to May 17 to the First Responders Children’s Foundation, benefiting the children of first responders leading the fight against COVID-19. The Barbie #ThankYouHeroes program is the second program launching as part of Mattel’s broader “Play it Forward” platform, which focuses on leveraging Mattel brands to give back to communities in times of need.
MGA Entertainment
Little Tikes will host its World’s Biggest Playdate Stay At Home Edition on Saturday, May 16, encouraging families to take time to play together at home. What to Expect When You’re Expecting will host a one-hour livestream celebration on Instagram starting at 11 a.m. (Pacific). Activities will include games, product features, and Little Tikes toy giveaways. Families are also invited to tag Little Tikes on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter and use #LittleTikes and #WorldsBiggestPlaydate for a chance to be featured.
Schleich
Schleich’s The Power of Imagination Photo Contest invites kids to use their time at home to take photos that bring their Schleich figurines to life in imaginative scenes, just like the ones created by toy photographer Mitchel Wu. To enter, parents can submit a photo of Schleich figurines taken by their child and be in the running to win one of 10 prize packs.
How is your company helping amid the pandemic? To have your initiatives featured, please submit them to jlynch@toyassociation.org.