As the first responders and frontline healthcare personnel continue to gain the respect of an entire nation as modern day heroes in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, toy maker Mattel has introduced a new line of action figures that not only salute those workers, but directly help them through donations to #FirstRespondersFirst.
The toy maker announced late last week that their new #ThankYouHeroes will directly benefit the initiative that was created to support first responder healthcare workers as they serve on the frontlines of the pandemic.
The new, special edition line of collectible action figures and Little People Community Champions from the Fisher-Price collection honors those who are leading the fight against COVID-19 as well as the everyday heroes who are working to keep communities up and running. All net proceeds from the action figure sales will go to #FirstRespondersFirst.
The Fisher-Price collection is the first of several brand efforts from Mattel designed to support today’s heroes, with others kicking off in the coming weeks as part of the company’s broader “Play it Forward” platform, which focuses on leveraging Mattel brands to give back to communities in times of need.
Fisher-Price’s #ThankYouHeroes assortment includes 16 different action figures featuring a selection of doctors, nurses, EMTs and delivery drivers. The brand is also introducing a special five-character Little People set comprised of a doctor, nurse, EMT, delivery driver and grocery store worker.
Chuck Scothon, Senior Vice President of Fisher-Price and Global Head of Infant and Preschool, Mattel, says, “#ThankYouHeroes is designed to immortalize and honor healthcare and every day heroes, and to drive additional donations to support first responders,” and adds, “Whether these toys are given as a gift to recognize someone working on the front lines, or used as a tool to help children have conversations about how they are feeling, it is our hope that Fisher-Price toys, and play in general, can ultimately make these difficult times easier for both kids and adults.”
Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, one of the organizations behind the #FirstRespondersFirst initiative, says, “We launched #FirstRespondersFirst to support healthcare workers and their families who are on the frontlines of this pandemic,” and adds, “Mattel’s iconic brands and products speak to something deep within us. So it will be wonderful to see this new Fisher-Price collection not only bring joy to children, but give parents and caregivers a new way to honor healthcare first responders and everyday heroes and their families.”
In addition to the launch of #ThankYouHeroes, Mattel is contributing to the fight against COVID-19 by making face shields and cloth face masks for medical professionals. The company is now producing 500,000 face shields for healthcare workers, up from its original commitment of 100,000. Mattel has also provided toy donations to non-profit partners including Baby2Baby, Feed the Children, LA Family Housing, LA Students Most in Need (through the Los Angeles Unified School District), Partners for Pediatric Vision, Save the Children and UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, among others.
Additionally, the company is donating toys to various Bright Horizons Child Care Centers that have been opened as special child care hubs, offering free child care for the children of frontline healthcare workers, through the #FirstRespondersFirst initiative. Mattel also recently launched the Mattel Playroom, a free online resource for parents and caregivers, which features activities and content from the Company’s iconic portfolio of brands.
#ThankYouHeroes are available for pre-order from now through May 31, 2020 at the link below:
http://MattelPlayroom.com/ThankYouHeroes
Each item will retail at $20, with $15 from each sale being donated to #FirstRespondersFirst. Items are expected to ship to consumers by December 31, 2020.
From April 29, 2020 through May 31, 2020, $15 from each online purchase of a toy from the #ThankYouHeroes Collection will be donated by Mattel to The Entertainment Industry Foundation, in support of #FirstRespondersFirst, dedicated to providing essential supplies, equipment and resources for frontline healthcare workers and their families. The offer is open only to residents of the U.S/D.C. No portion of the purchase is tax deductible. No discounts, offers or coupons may be applied to the purchase of items from the #ThankYouHeroes Collection. Offer may be extended in Mattel’s sole and absolute discretion. Mattel reserves the right to suspend or cancel the promotion in its sole discretion for any reason including in the event of force majeure.
