Shaq is a Toy’R’Us kid

WAYNE, N.J. Toys"R"Us announced it has teamed up with Shaquille O'Neal to encourage consumers to donate toys and cash to the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation this holiday season. The fundraising campaign officially begins Oct. 22 in Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com/ToysforTots.

During the nine-week campaign, new, unwrapped toys will be collected through Dec. 6 at Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores across the country. Collected toys will be distributed to children in the communities where they are donated. Monetary donations will be accepted at all Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us locations and online at Toysrus.com/ToysForTots through Christmas Eve.

On Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6, Marines and other Toys for Tots representatives will be stationed at Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores nationwide to bring added attention to the "Join Shaq Give Back" campaign in local markets.

Customers can also "Join Shaq" online at Toysrus.com/ToysforTots. This dedicated website features a video greeting from the four-time NBA Champion, along with "The Legend of Shaq-A-Claus," which explains O'Neal's history of giving back to children in need.

Facebook members can also "Join Shaq" now through Christmas Eve, when they become fans of Toys"R"Us or Babies"R"Us at either Facebook.com/Toysrus or Facebook.com/Babiesrus. For every new fan who joins now through Thursday Dec. 24, Toys"R"Us will donate $1 worth of toys to Toys for Tots.

In addition to the online Shaq-A-Claus presence, Toys"R"Us and Babies"R"Us stores across the country will feature a life-sized standee of O'Neal, in his Shaq-A-Claus attire. The cutouts will serve to bring attention to the "Join Shaq Give Back" campaign, while encouraging customers to donate. O'Neal will also appear as Shaq-A-Claus on other in-store signage and marketing materials throughout the campaign, including advertising circulars.