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2014 TOYS“R”US CHILDREN’S FUND GALA, HEADLINED BY MARTIN
SHORT AND JAMES TAYLOR, DREW SUPPORT FROM TOY AND BABY
PRODUCT INDUSTRY LEADERS TO RAISE $4.5 MILLION
Among the Largest Single-Night Fundraising Events in New
York City, the Annual Benefit Helps Toys“R”Us to Advance Its
Philanthropic Mission with Approximately
$110 Million Generated Since the Gala’s Inception in 1985
Company’s Leading Charitable Partners, Including Alex’s
Lemonade Stand Foundation, the Marine Toys for Tots
Foundation, Operation Shower and Special Olympics,
Highlighted for Exemplary Efforts to Keep Kids Safe and Help
Them in Times of Need
WAYNE, NJ (May 16, 2014) –
Last night, more than 1,200 leaders from the toy and baby
products industries came together at the Marriott Marquis
Hotel in New York City to celebrate the 2014 Toys“R”Us
Children’s Fund Gala. During this special evening of
entertainment and fundraising, $4.5 million was raised for
the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund, a public charity affiliated
with Toys“R”Us, Inc., to aid in its mission to keep children
safe and help them in times of need. The event was hosted by
Emmy® and
Tony Award®-winning comedian Martin Short and
featured a brilliant performance by five-time GRAMMY® winner
James Taylor and his All-Star Band.
“The Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund Gala is a wonderful occasion
for industry partners to join together in celebrating our
shared mission to bring joy into the lives of all children,”
said Kathleen Waugh, Chairman of the Toys“R”Us Children’s
Fund. “This
event also allows us to proudly showcase the Fund’s most
significant efforts in charitable giving over the past year
and to salute the many respected non-profit organizations we
support.”
The evening featured a unique opportunity for guests to lend
support to the thousands of Special Olympics Athletes from
across the country competing in the 2014 Special Olympics
USA Games in NJ next month. Gala attendees rallied during a
live text-to-donate opportunity to offset some of the costs
associated with participating in the Games, allowing these
athletes to devote themselves to discover new strengths,
abilities and skills through the Special Olympics’ program.
Toys“R”Us was the first Founding Partner of the 2014 Special
Olympics USA Games with a $1 million grant from the
Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund. Toys“R”Us will also serve as the
presenting sponsor of the first-ever Young Athletes Festival
at the upcoming Games, providing opportunities for children
ages 2 to 7 to take part in the Special Olympics’ Young
Athletes Program. In February, the company also launched a
text-to-donate campaign encouraging customers to support the
current and future champions of this summer’s Games.
Below are highlights of some of the company’s key
philanthropic initiatives from the past year:
Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation
In 2013, Toys“R”Us partnered for the third consecutive year
with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), an
organization dedicated to helping find a cure for childhood
cancer. What started as a front yard lemonade stand hosted
by 4-year-old Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who was diagnosed with
cancer just before her first birthday, has turned into a
national effort continued today by children and families who
host lemonade stands across the country each year. The
company’s in-store and online fundraising campaign raised
more than $1.8 million in 2013 and helped teach the
importance of giving back by encouraging children to host
their own official Alex’s Lemonade Stands. Additionally, the
Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund provided a $100,000 grant to the
organization to support childhood cancer research and
resources for families battling this disease. Since the
partnership began in 2011, donations from customers,
Toys“R”Us, Inc. and the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund together
have provided nearly $6 million to the organization.
Disaster Response and Relief
As part of an ongoing commitment to help children and
families in times of crisis, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund
and Toys“R”Us, Inc. have provided millions of dollars in
monetary and product donations during disaster situations.
Most recently the Fund donated to Save the Children’s relief
and recovery efforts following the tornadoes in Oklahoma and
provided $500,000 to the organization to help assist
children and families in New Jersey, New York and
Connecticut affected by Hurricane Sandy. To expand on this
commitment and in conjunction with the official start of
hurricane season, Toys“R”Us stores recently debuted a
reusable bag showcasing Save the Children artwork created by
a young child. One dollar from the purchase of each bag will
benefit the organization’s Domestic Emergency Fund. As part
of this initiative, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund made a
$100,000 donation to the Domestic Emergency Fund to help
Save the Children further strengthen disaster preparedness
programs and relief efforts here in the United States.
Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
The Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund and Toys“R”Us, Inc. teamed up
for a fifth consecutive year
with NBA Legend Shaquille O’Neal – and his alter-ego
Shaq-A-Claus – to help the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
bring toys and smiles to America’s neediest children during
the 2013 holiday season. This year’s in-store and online
fundraising campaign raised nearly $4 million and collected
325,000 toys proving there really is “No Wish Too Big” for
Shaq-A-Claus. The Fund also provided a $250,000 grant to
Toys for Tots to kick off the program. Toys“R”Us has raised
over $35.5 million and collected more than 4 million toys
for the organization since 2004. In addition, grants
totaling more than $5.2 million have been awarded to Toys
for Tots by the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund.
Operation Shower
The Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund and Babies“R”Us once again
joined forces with Operation Shower, an organization that
hosts joyful baby showers for military wives to ease the
stress of their husbands’ deployment, to co-host baby shower
events nationwide. In addition to being separated from their
spouses, these moms-to-be are often far away from friends
and family. Showers are held across the country for all
branches of the armed forces – Army, Navy, Air Force,
Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard – to ensure these
women receive some of the basic essentials they need for
their newborns. Since the partnership began in 2012,
Operation Shower and Babies“R”Us have showered nearly 400
moms during seven amazing events – including the
organization’s largest to date, hosted by mom of four and
fashion designer Heidi Klum. The Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund
has provided $200,000 in grants to Operation Shower so it
may deliver gifts and festive occasions to celebrate these
moms and their new arrivals.
Make-A-Wish America
This past year, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund provided
Make-A-Wish America with $500,000 in grant funding. A visit
to Toys“R”Us is a top request for many “wish children” who
are facing
life-threatening medical conditions, and throughout the
year, Toys“R”Us stores nationwide created celebratory events
during special shopping trips. Over the past 17 years,
hundreds of shopping sprees have been held in stores across
the country. Additionally, the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund and
Toys“R”Us, Inc. have supported Make-A-Wish with more than
$2.8 million to help make wishes come true.
Special Olympics
Toys“R”Us is proud to be a Founding Partner of the 2014
Special Olympics USA Games and the Presenting Sponsor of the
first-ever Young Athletes Festival, which will showcase the
Young Athletes Program, an innovative play program for
children with and without intellectual disabilities that
helps kids develop critical early cognitive, social and
motor skills. In addition to a $1 million commitment as the
first Founding Partner of the 2014 Special Olympics USA
Games, Toys“R”Us launched a nationwide in-store and online
awareness program encouraging customers to #CheerOnAChampion
and support the 2014 USA Games through a mobile giving
campaign. Funds raised will help Special Olympics athletes
go for the gold at the Games being held in New Jersey from
June 14-21. In addition to being a Founding Partner of the
2014 USA Games, Toys“R”Us also serves as the Presenting
Sponsor of the Law Enforcement Torch Run, during which more
than 100 law enforcement officers and Special Olympics
athletes from all 50 states will take part in a multi-day
torch run leading up to the Games’ Opening Ceremony on June
15.
Toys“R”Us, Inc. and the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund have a
long history of supporting the special needs community
through theToys“R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids,
a valuable resource released annually, providing qualified
toy recommendations to help aid in the skill development of
children who have physical, cognitive or developmental
disabilities. This year’s cover features Isabella Caesar and
Samuel Lopez from Special Olympics New Jersey’s Young
Athletes Program, along with Gabby Douglas, 2012 All-Around
gymnastics gold medalist at the 2012 London
Summer Olympics.
About the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund
For nearly
30 years, the Toys“R”Us
Children’s Fund has provided millions of dollars annually to
countless children’s charities that support the Fund’s
mission to keep kids safe and help them in times of need.
Together with Toys“R”Us, Inc., the Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund
work with organizations nationwide to further programs that
are positively impacting the lives of children and families.
Charitable Giving at Toys“R”Us
The philanthropic mission of Toys“R”Us, Inc. and the
Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund is to keep children safe and help
them in times of need. The Toys“R”Us Children’s Fund
contributes millions of dollars annually to various
children’s organizations, including those providing disaster
relief to victims of large-scale crises, as well as those
supporting America’s military families. The Fund also
provides grants to leading special needs organizations and
has donated $1 million as the first Founding Partner of the
2014 Special Olympics USA Games. In addition to financial
and product donations, Toys“R”Us, Inc. hosts in-store and
online fundraising campaigns annually that raise millions of
dollars for the company’s signature
philanthropic partners.
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