Hallmark to Provide up to $1.5 Million in Product Donations and Funds to Toys for Tots

Select products will be available this holiday season to benefit national foundation.

News provided by

Oct 20, 2014, 08:40 ET

KANSAS CITY, Mo., Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- For 50 years, watching the television classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer^® has been a holiday tradition for millions of families. This holiday season, Hallmark Gold Crown^® stores will be full of ways to celebrate the generous spirit of Rudolph® and give back through a partnership with Toys for Tots.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141018/152942
Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141018/152943

"We're excited to help families experience the magic of the season through this program," said John X. Watson, president – Hallmark Retail. "What better way to spread holiday cheer and make children happy than with help from the iconic characters of Rudolph?"

Now through Christmas Eve, Hallmark Gold Crown stores are offering two ways customers can help the company provide donations and toys to families in need:

Shoppers can participate in "Buy a Buddy, Give a Buddy." Each time a customer buys an Interactive Story Buddy^®at a Hallmark Gold Crown store, Hallmark will donate an Interactive Story Buddy to Toys for Tots. Available for $34.95, these interactive plush characters help bring story time to life. Rudolph's nose glows as he responds to key phrases in the story when read aloud.
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer^® 50th Anniversary itty bittys^® also give shoppers a small way to make a big difference. Available for $6.95 each, Hallmark will donate $1 to Toys for Tots each time one of the Rudolph^®, Santa Claus, Clarice^® or Bumble^® itty bittys is purchased.

"We want to ensure children have presents to open when they wake up Christmas morning," said retired Marine Major Bill Grein, vice president of marketing and development, Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. "Whether it's through a Story Buddy or another toy made possible by this program, we're thankful Hallmark is helping us create a magical holiday for children in need."

Hallmark anticipates that it will be able to donate up to $1.5 million in retail product value and additional cash funds to Toys for Tots this holiday season. Last year, the charity provided more than 16 million toys to nearly 7 million less fortunate children nationwide.

A donation presentation to Toys for Tots will take place Nov. 30, during the 83rd annual Hollywood Christmas Parade in Los Angeles, Calif., which will be aired on Hallmark Channel Dec. 10.

For more information about the Hallmark holiday products benefitting Toys for Tots, please visit Hallmark.com. To locate a Hallmark Gold Crown store, visit Hallmark.com/stores.

About Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Hallmark makes the world a more caring place by helping people express what's in their hearts and connect in emotional ways with others. In the U.S., innovative Hallmark greeting cards and gifts are sold through leading mass retailers, the network of Hallmark Gold Crown^® specialty stores and online. Worldwide, Hallmark offers products in more than 30 languages available in 100 countries. Millions of households enjoy family friendly television programming offered by cable's top-rated Hallmark Channel and fast-growing Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Hallmark's Crayola subsidiary inspires artistic creativity in children through Crayola^® crayons and markers as well as other innovative art tools, crafting activities and creative toys. Privately held Hallmark is based in Kansas City, Mo., and continues to be led by members of the founding Hall family. Visit http://corporate.hallmark.com for more details.

About Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation is a not for profit organization authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps and the Department of Defense to provide fundraising and other necessary support for the annual Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program. Now in its 67th year, Toys for Tots provides joy and a message of hope to economically disadvantaged children through the gift of a new toy during the Christmas holiday season. Their gifts offer these children recognition and a positive memory they will cherish for a lifetime. Many of the gifts they provide, such as books, games and sports equipment, make a significant contribution to the educational, social and physical development of these children. In 2013, Marines distributed gifts to nearly 7 million children in over 760 communities nationwide. The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation relies on individual donations from the American public as well as support from corporate sponsors, including Hallmark. For more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.

About Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer®
2014 is the 50th anniversary of the first broadcast of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the longest running and highest rated holiday special of all time. The anniversary celebration includes the inaugural roll-out of the live stage show "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical" into 25 cities, a major tie-in with the U.S. Postal Service, tribute promos from CBS, new products and programs across all retail channels, a collector's edition DVD and Blu-ray with new bonus material, new theme park and in-mall attractions, a Carnegie Hall concert tribute and a social media campaign – #ShineBright – that celebrates uniqueness in association with PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center.

Contacts:
Kristi Ernsting
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
http://newsroom.hallmark.com
(816) 274-8272
Email

Erica Davis
FleishmanHillard
(816) 512-2234
Email

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hallmark-to-provide-up-to-15-million-in-product-donations-and-funds-to-toys-for-tots-849650864.html

SOURCE Hallmark Cards, Inc.