Mother's Day Marks One Year Anniversary Of Babies"R"Us® Partnership With Operation Shower

WAYNE, N.J., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Babies"R"Us^® today announced that it will continue its commitment to honor families of the United States armed forces through a collaboration with Operation Shower, an organization that hosts joyful baby showers for military wives as they experience the journey of pregnancy while their husbands are deployed. To kick off the second year of partnership, consisting of shower events and fundraising efforts, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has donated $100,000 to Operation Shower.

In the coming year, Babies"R"Us will once again leverage its dedicated microsite at Babiesrus.com/OperationShower as an online information and donation portal, where visitors can learn how to support this program and ensure that military moms-to-be, who are often far away from friends and family, receive basic essentials for their newborns. Since launching this digital destination in 2012, individuals, organizations and businesses eager to support Operation Shower have donated items from the charity's official Babies"R"Us Registry, which allows shoppers to purchase much-needed products for these expectant moms and have them sent directly to Operation Shower for use at events throughout the year.

"We are thrilled to renew and expand upon our partnership with Operation Shower in the year ahead," said Sloane Lucas, Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Toys"R"Us, Inc. "By joining forces, we have been able to impact the lives of hundreds of America's military families by showering expectant moms with joy and providing them with countless baby essentials for their newborns while their husbands are bravely serving our country. It is our honor to support these military wives, by truly celebrating this exciting time in their lives."

Creating Unforgettable Memories for Military Moms-To-Be
Last year, Babies"R"Us showered nearly 200 military moms-to-be with thousands of donated must-have items to help them prepare for their little ones. Over the next year, Babies"R"Us will co-host four additional events with Operation Shower benefiting families across the country from all branches of military, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and National Guard. Military moms-to-be are invited to attend the shower with a loved one and experience all the joy associated with a traditional baby shower – from themed decor to receiving exciting prizes and presents. The women also receive a Babies"R"Us gift card, allowing them to shop for the baby items they still need, as well as resource materials, including product recommendations and useful information that may help new moms prepare for their little-one's arrival.

Opportunity to Support America's Military Families through Babies"R"Us Registry
To raise awareness and engage consumers in helping military moms, Babies"R"Us will continue to 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, as well as local businesses and organizations, can donate products to military moms-to-be by purchasing items from the official Operation Shower baby registry, which can be accessed through Babiesrus.com/OperationShower. To date, hundreds of products have been donated to support military families as a result of the registry. All items purchased off of the organization's official Babies"R"Us Registry are shipped directly to Operation Shower and used as gifts for expectant moms at upcoming showers.

"The first words most moms express after walking away from the showers we host with Babies"R"Us are those of overwhelming gratitude," said LeAnn Morrissey, founder of Operation Shower. "The company is dedicated to moms and families by the very nature of its business and has been an incredibly dedicated partner, ensuring that every expectant mom who attends a shower event receives baby essentials and a sheer sense of joy about the overall experience. We look forward to partnering with Babies"R"Us for another year to host baby showers for hundreds more military moms-to-be and continually engage customers nationwide to join us in supporting America's military families through our dedicated registry."

Operation Shower began with a simple act of kindness when 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 nearly 1,400 military moms from all branches of the armed forces.

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

Please click on the following link to download high-res images: https://toysrus.sharefile.com/d/s7eb15c31e6847e3a

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 Toys"R"Us, Inc.