Toys 'R' Us kicks off Special Olympics drive
Toys "R" Us is expanding its partnership with the Special Olympics with a whopping $1.25 million commitment toward sponsoring the 2015 Special Olympics World Games.
The Games, which will welcome 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, to Los Angeles, Calif., from July 25 to Aug. 2, is the flagship event of the Special Olympics and biggest sporting event of the year. The 2015 World Games marks the first time in 16 years that the Summer World Games have been held in the United States.
"As a company with stores in 37 countries, it is our honor to be part of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, as well as to provide our enthusiastic support in bringing the Young Athletes Program to more children across the globe," said Antonio Urcelay, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Toys "R" Us Inc. "The Toys "R" Us family has long been a champion of children with special needs, and we have great respect for the work being done by Special Olympics to create an inclusive world for all."
As part of the partnership expansion, the Toys "R" Us Children's Fund has also awarded a $500,000 grant to Special Olympics to advance the organization's ambitious five-year plan to strengthen and expand the Young Athletes Program in the U.S. and across the globe.
Toys "R" Us also announced a new omnichannel initiative designed to ensure children of all abilities can experience their #MyFirstSportsMoment.
The company is hosting an in-store and online fundraising campaign during which monetary donations will be collected at all Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us stores across the U.S. and online at toysrus.com through March 31.
In Addition, the company will celebrate the littlest Special Olympics athletes on its official social media channels, including Facebook,YouTube, Twitter and Instagram, encouraging consumers to share their #MyFirstSportsMoment memories and experiences. One hundred percent of customer donations received as part of the fundraising campaign will be directed to Special Olympics, and will be used to support the 2015 World Games as well as the expansion of the Young Athletes Program.
"Special Olympics and Toys"R"Us have a tremendous legacy of working together and we're thrilled to expand our relationship on such a global scale," said Janet Froetscher, CEO, Special Olympics. "We're incredibly grateful for the support of Toys"R"Us and for its continued leadership in helping us advocate for children with and without intellectual abilities. The '#MyFirstSportsMoment' initiative will allow us to reach more children to give them the opportunity to experience the transformative power and joy of Special Olympics sports."