VeggieTales® And Operation Christmas Child Announce Partnership

FRANKLIN, Tenn., June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Idea Entertainment LLC, a leading studio and producer of children's and family programming, characters and brands, announced today with Samaritan's Purse, the international Christian relief organization, a partnership developed to increase awareness of and assistance for needy children worldwide.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130618/NY33702LOGO )

Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, the stars of Big Idea's best-selling VeggieTales® brand, will appear as official spokes-characters for Operation Christmas Child (OCC), a global children's project of Samaritan's Purse that delivers gift-filled shoeboxes to disadvantaged children.

In August, the two partners will premiere a dedicated landing page at samaritanspurse.org/veggietales with details for volunteers, including Veggie-themed labels, donation drop-off locations, information on hundreds of events and more.

VeggieTales has created a short video featuring Bob and Larry teaching children how to properly pack an OCC shoebox as an additional resource for families looking for information on how to create a shoebox gift of their own.

"Our partnership coincides with the release of 'Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas,' which is VeggieTales' first Christmas DVD to premiere in two years," said Leslie Ferrell, President of Big Idea Entertainment. "We could not think of a better way to exemplify the holiday spirit and reinforce our mission growing great kids to families of than by joining in the important efforts of Operation Christmas Child. Together, along with some surprise celebrity guests we'll be announcing along the way, we will remind thousands of kids everywhere that they are loved and not forgotten this Christmas."

This year VeggieTales and Operation Christmas Child are both celebrating 20 years of helping children around the world. In continuing their traditions and core values, both organizations plan to leverage their anniversary campaigns in order to exceed last year's total of delivering nine million shoeboxes this Christmas.

"Operation Christmas Child is excited to partner with VeggieTales on the release of "Merry Larry and the True Light of Christmas," said Jeremy Bentley, Assistant Director of Operation Christmas Child USA. "VeggieTales and Operation Christmas Child are both committed to sharing the good news of God's love with children. Making a partnership on this release is a perfect fit."

For more information on VeggieTales and Operation Christmas Child, visit www.VeggieTales.com and www.samaritanspurse.org.

Press contacts:

Ashley Aberbach – Finn Partners for Big Idea Entertainment
Phone: (212) 715-1524
Email: [email protected]  
Twitter: @finnpartners

About Big Idea

Big Idea Entertainment, a division of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc., is a leading studio and producer of children's and family programming, characters and brands. Big Idea's best-selling series VeggieTales® is a one of the most recognized brands in the US with moms of pre-schoolers*.  Since 1993, VeggieTales® has sold 70 million videos, 15 million books and more than 7 million CDs.  VeggieTales® enjoyed four seasons as top-rated series on NBC Saturday mornings, Telemundo and ION TV.  The studio's two theatrical releases, Lionsgate's Jonah-A VeggieTales Movie® (2002), and Universal Pictures' The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything®-A VeggieTales Movie® (2008), are distinguished among the most successful faith-based films of all time. Big Idea also maintains an extensive presence in publishing, licensing and live entertainment arenas. For more information on Big Idea, visit: www.VeggieTales.com.

*Spring 2012 Q-Score

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan's Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization headed by Franklin Graham. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered more than 100 million gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children worldwide. Celebrating its 20^th anniversary, the project expects to collect another 9.8 million shoebox gifts in 2013.

SOURCE Big Idea Entertainment