Funds Raised by MEGA Brands Employees, Partners and Suppliers
to Support Autism Treatment, Education and Advocacy
MONTREAL, May 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ - Building on its
longstanding support of Autism Awareness month, MEGA Brands, Inc.,
a member of the Mattel family of companies (NASDAQ: MAT), donated a
total of $72,000 to Autism Speaks
Canada.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140527/91285)
The donation, presented at the 2014 Walk Now for Autism Speaks
event in Montreal, will help fund
Autism treatment, education, research and advocacy throughout
Canada. MEGA Brands was the Local
Presenting Sponsor of Montreal's
Walk Now for Autism Speaks event.
"We are proud to support such a worthwhile cause," said
Bisma Ansari, vice president of
marketing, MEGA Brands, Inc. "Autism impacts millions of children
and their families throughout the world, and we are honored to help
provide much-needed treatment, research and support for these
individuals."
During the month of April, MEGA Brands pledged to donate
one dollar for every Mega Bloks toy
sold by Toys "R" Us Canada - both in stores and online - generating
more than $20,000 in proceeds. To
augment the donation, philanthropic donors contributed an
additional $29,000 to the total
pledge amount.
MEGA Brands employees raised an additional $10,000 in donations, through bake sales and
auctions, an amount that was matched by Mattel. Mattel is committed
to its vision of Creating the Future of Play through great toys, as
well as giving back two percent of pretax profit through
philanthropic programs. Partnering with charitable organizations
dedicated to directly serving children, Mattel creates joy through
the Mattel Children's Foundation, product donations, grant making
and the work of employee volunteers.
"We at Mattel are excited to support this initiative led by the
MEGA Brands employees" said Robert
Goodwin, executive director, Mattel Children's Foundation.
"MEGA Brands and Mattel are likeminded in our commitment to autism
advocacy and research, and now that we are one company I know we
can magnify our positive impact on the world."
Building with Mega Bloks helps children of all ages develop
cognitive and motor skills, express creativity and boost
confidence, especially valuable for children suffering from Autism
Spectrum Disorder. As such, Mega Bloks invited local autistic
organizations to tour its Montreal
headquarters, North America's
largest toy factory, every Friday in April to learn more about the
therapeutic benefits of Mega Bloks toys.
Help support Autism Awareness by joining a Walk near you. For
more information, please visit: http://events.autismspeaks.ca/.
About MEGA Brands
A member of the Mattel family of companies, MEGA Brands Inc. is
a trusted collection of leading global brands in construction toys,
games & puzzles and arts & crafts. They offer engaging
creative experiences for children and families through innovative,
well-designed, affordable and high-quality products. MEGA® Brands
includes MEGA BLOKS®, RoseArt®, MEGA Puzzles®, MEGA Games® and
Board Dudes®. Visit http://www.megabrands.com for more
information.
About Mattel
The Mattel family of companies Nasdaq: MAT is the worldwide
leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family
products. Mattel's portfolio of best-selling brands includes
Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever produced, Hot Wheels®,
Monster High®, American Girl®, Thomas & Friends® and
Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People® and Power Wheels®,
MEGA® Brands, including MEGA BLOKS® and RoseArt®, as well as a wide
array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2013, Mattel was
named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" by Ethisphere
Magazine and in 2014 ranked No. 5 on Corporate Responsibility
Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens" list. With worldwide
headquarters in El Segundo,
California, Mattel's companies employ nearly 30,000 people
in 40 countries and territories and sell products in more than 150
nations. At Mattel, we are Creating the Future of Play. Visit us at
www.mattel.com, www.facebook.com/mattel or
www.twitter.com/mattel.
SOURCE MEGA Brands Inc.