Press Releases
For Immediate Release
Contact: Carrie Leum, (952) 401-0125; cleum@leumroberts.com
Manhattan Toy Donates Thousands of Groovy Girls for Youngest Hurricane Katrina Survivors
"Girls Helping Girls": Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis Teams with Manhattan Toy for Local Delivery
September 9, 2005 (Minneapolis, Minnesota) - To comfort the youngest survivors of Hurricane Katrina, Minneapolis-based Manhattan Toy is donating more than 60,000 of its Groovy Girls® brand dolls and plush toys to the relief effort both nationally and in Minnesota. Valued at more than $500,000, Manhattan Toy will donate 50,000 toys to The Toy Bank, a subsidiary of The Toy Industry Foundation™ based in New York City, and has earmarked an additional 10,000 toys for children who are set to arrive in Minnesota.
With this donation of multicultural Groovy Girls, the brand that celebrates the power of friendship and promotes sharing with others, Manhattan Toy is hoping to lift the spirits of so many young recipients who have lost so much. "We are devastated by the impact of Hurricane Katrina on families and wanted to do our part to provide encouragement and comfort at this difficult time," says Arete Passas, president and CEO of Manhattan Toy. "We sincerely hope this gift will help create a little sense of normalcy for the children in the Gulf Coast and Minnesota who have been affected by this natural disaster."
"No doubt children are the most vulnerable victims of Hurricane Katrina ... and often the most resilient. In order to protect and nurture our most precious commodity, one of the easiest and most effective tools to allow them to deal with these events is through play," said Terri Bartlett, executive director of the Toy Industry Foundation. "We applaud the immediacy and generosity of Manhattan Toy for getting toys into the hands of these children, giving them a great outlet for fun and healing."
The Local Effort
Locally, Manhattan Toy has teamed with the Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis to welcome families impacted by Hurricane Katrina who are already in or en route to Minnesota. Now that necessity items have been distributed to Katrina survivors, the Scouts and Manhattan Toy representatives will deliver a significant donation of Groovy Girls dolls and plush toys to the non-profit Hope for the City organization on Monday, September 12. Hope for the City, a Minnesota-based relief organization that has established Hurricane Katrina donation points throughout the Twin Cities, will distribute the toys first to children making a temporary home in Minnesota. They plan to send remaining items directly to children throughout the Gulf Coast.
"One of the basic premises of Girl Scouting is to make the world a better place. We are so proud of the response of our Girl Scout troops to the survivors of Hurricane Katrina," says Shelley Jacobson, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of Greater Minneapolis. "It has been compelling to witness the true spirit of this organization. Girl Scouts are coming to the aid of victims with compassion and an outpouring of support and assistance."
About Manhattan Toy
Manhattan Toy introduced Groovy Girls as part of its overall collection of distinctive soft toys that inspire creative play. Groovy Girls, the brand that celebrates friendship, diversity and encourages girls to develop their own sense of personal style and self-identity, distributes its products through more than 10,000 retailers worldwide. The company began distributing in Target Stores in January, 2005. For more information on the entire collection of Groovy Girls and other products from Manhattan Toy, visit www.groovygirls.com and www.manhattantoy.com.
About the Toy Industry Foundation™
In 2000, the Toy Industry Foundation (TIF) refocused its philanthropic efforts, recognizing its unique position to galvanize and leverage industry resources to make a difference in the lives of children in need. After further review, the TIF Board committed to support children who are homeless throughout America. By contributing its funds to programs such as The Power of Play and The Toy Bank, the industry is working to achieve its mission to bring joy, happiness and comfort to children through the experience of toys and play. For more information about TIF, visit: www.toyindustryfoundation.org. The Toy Industry foundation has tapped Gifts In Kind International, the world's leading charity in product philanthropy, to deliver toys to hurricane survivors throughout the Gulf Coast.
About Hope for the City
Hope for the City is a privately funded, 501(c)3 relief organization that was established by Dennis and Megan Doyle in 2000 to fight poverty, hunger and disease by utilizing corporate surplus. The Minnesota-based, non-profit organization collects overstock products from top retailers, medical companies, and food distributors nationwide and donates the items to people in need locally, across the country and around the world. Since its inception, Hope for the City has donated approximately $230 million in wholesale value of goods. For more information: www.hopeforthecities.org.