Thousands of Young People Mobilize for Holiday Volunteer Service
Acts of Giving Back - with "Viral" Twist by Young Actors - Seeks $1 Million in Toys, Games Donated by Hasbro, Inc.
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Wrapping gifts for military families. Passing out blankets. Creating "bedtime bags" for children at shelters. Delivering cards to hospital patients. These are among the hundreds of thousands of actions that kids across the U.S. will be performing this holiday season.
For each action a child or teen takes to help others, Hasbro, Inc. will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots — up to $1 million dollars' worth. In one of the largest mobilizations of its kind involving dozens of young celebrities flexing their social media prowess, the "Be a Joy Maker" campaign kicks off on "Giving Tuesday" – Dec. 3. The three-week effort to turn acts of service into donations to Toys for Tots is organized by generationOn, the youth service division of Points of Light, the largest global organization dedicated to volunteer service.
"It is inspiring to witness so many kids helping other kids during this during this important time of the year," said Kathy Saulitis, vice president at generationOn. "We are very thankful to Hasbro, our long time supporter, for matching these acts of giving with toy and game donations."
"We are inspired by this generation of givers who are helping to bring joy to children who need it most," said Karen Davis, vice president of community relations at Hasbro, Inc. "We believe that all kids have something to give and generationOn makes that possible by empowering kids to serve. We are so proud to support this wonderful initiative, now in its fourth year."
This year, the initiative is utilizing the power of social media to engage greater numbers of young volunteers. Toy and game donations can be triggered by acts of service, downloading and sending cards to sick children and their families and by social sharing via generationOn's special website. Additionally, to inspire more kids to volunteer, dozens of young actors and celebrities are participating in service projects and sharing the opportunity to be a Joy Maker through Twitter, Facebook and a special video featured on the Joy Maker website and on YouTube.
Soon, young actors such as Nolan Gould, Karan Brar, and Tyree Brown will tweet messages such as "#GiveJoy to a kid in need! Share the @generationOn video" and @HasbroNews donates a game or toy to a child in need!", or convey video messages such as "Volunteer! You have the power to change the world." A significant online response is anticipated, Saulitis said.
"We are proud of our young celebrity Joy Makers serving as role models and a point of inspiration to their fans to bring happiness to others during the holidays," Saulitis said. "We also are very excited about the thousands of young people across the country who are giving joy through service in their communities this holiday season.
Kids and teens interested in being a Joy Maker in 2013 can still get involved. The website offers a range of project ideas as well as an easy way to download a holiday card and send it to a child needing joy. GenerationOn also encourages kids to check the website to find projects in their communities.
About generationOn
GenerationOn is the global youth service movement igniting the power of kids to make their mark on the world. As Points of Light's youth service enterprise, generationOn inspires, equips and mobilizes youth to take action through generationOn service clubs, schools, youth organizations, campaigns and youth leadership initiatives. It also provides tools and resources to youth, families and educators to help kids change the world and themselves through service. For more information, visit generationon.org.
About Points of Light
Points of Light - the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service - mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it matters most. For more information, go to pointsoflight.org.
About Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. is a branded play company dedicated to fulfilling the fundamental need for play for children and families through creative expression of the Company's world class brand portfolio, including TRANSFORMERS, MONOPOLY, PLAY-DOH, MY LITTLE PONY, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, NERF, LITTLEST PET SHOP and G.I. JOE. From toys and games, to television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and a comprehensive licensing program, Hasbro strives to delight its global customers with innovative play and entertainment experiences, in a variety of forms and formats, anytime and anywhere. The Company's Hasbro Studios develops and produces television programming for more than 170 markets around the world, and for the U.S. on The Hub TV Network, part of a multi-platform joint venture between Hasbro and Discovery Communications. Through the company's deep commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world for future generations and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families every year. It has been recognized for its efforts by being named one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies" and is ranked as one of Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens." Learn more at www.hasbro.com
SOURCE generationOn
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