Babies"R"Us Launches Partnership With Operation Shower To Provide Military Moms-To-Be With Joyful Baby Showers

WAYNE, N.J., May 8, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Babies"R"Us today announced the launch of a brand-new multi-level partnership benefiting families of the United States armed forces in collaboration with Operation Shower, an organization that hosts joyful baby showers for military wives to ease the stress of their husbands' deployment. Beginning today, Babiesrus.com/OperationShower will serve as an online information portal, where visitors can learn how they can support this charitable program and ensure that military moms-to-be, who are often far away from friends and family, receive basic essentials for their newborns. To kick off the partnership, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has donated $100,000 to Operation Shower.

"Thousands of military wives each year experience the journey of pregnancy without friends and family nearby to provide support during what can be an overwhelming time in an expectant mom's life. And, quite often, these women don't have the opportunity to enjoy the tradition of a baby shower to celebrate this exciting milestone," said Sloane Lucas, Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "Through this new partnership with Operation Shower, Babies"R"Us is proud to assist the families of America's armed forces by helping ensure that military moms-to-be are showered with joy while their husbands are so courageously serving our country."

Babies"R"Us to Shower Military Moms-To-Be with Joy

As part of this partnership, Babies"R"Us will co-host several events with Operation Shower over the next year, benefiting families across the country from all branches of military, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard. At each of the events, military moms-to-be will experience – on a grand scale – all of the heartwarming excitement associated with a baby shower – from festive decor to the fun of opening much-needed gifts for themselves and their little ones. The women will also receive Babies"R"Us gift cards, so they can shop for items they need and want before and after they welcome their babies into the world.

Customers Can Support America's Military Families through Babies"R"Us Registry

To raise awareness and engage consumers in helping military moms, Babies"R"Us will utilize its best-in-class registry to fundraise by offering expectant parents the opportunity to request donations for Operation Shower from friends and family purchasing items from their registry. New and existing registrants are eligible to join the fundraising program at any time throughout the year. Expectant moms who register online at Babiesrus.com can add an Operation Shower donation of $1 or more to their new or existing registry.

Babies"R"Us customers can also participate in the campaign and donate to military moms-to-be by purchasing items directly from the official Operation Shower baby registry, which can be accessed through Babiesrus.com/OperationShower. All items purchased off of the organization's official Babies"R"Us Registry will be shipped to Operation Shower and used as gifts for expectant moms at upcoming showers.

"We're thrilled to have Babies"R"Us as a partner on this initiative to support America's military families and for making it possible for the millions of consumers who shop their stores to join the effort," said LeAnn Morrissey, founder of Operation Shower. "With the help of Babies"R"Us and their customers, we will be able to greatly expand our efforts to shower military moms-to-be with joy as they deal with the stress of their husbands' deployment, while simultaneously preparing for the arrival of their babies."

Operation Shower began with a simple act of kindness when founder LeAnn Morrissey sent a "shower in a box" to a few expectant wives whose husbands were deployed. After organizing her first large-scale shower at Fort Bragg, North Carolina in June 2007, Operation Shower was officially born. The organization has since showered more than 700 military moms from all branches of the armed forces.

For the duration of the partnership, Babies"R"Us will implement a multi-faceted marketing program, inclusive of online advertising, email blasts, social media and more to engage customers to contribute to the Babies"R"Us campaign benefiting Operation Shower.

About The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund

The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund is a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., a company that unabashedly declares "We love kids!" The core mission of the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund is to keep children safe and help them in times of need. Since it was founded in 1992, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund has contributed millions of dollars to qualified organizations that support that mission, including those providing disaster relief to children and families who are victims of large-scale crises. The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund also provides grants to leading organizations that support children with special needs.

Primary fundraising activities include the annual Toys"R"Us Children's Fund Gala, a private, invitation-only event that showcases the work of the Fund and raises money to support its many beneficiaries. This annual benefit has raised $100 million since its inception in 1985 and is one of the largest single-night fundraising events held in New York City.

SOURCE Babies"R"Us