'Wizards' Cast a Spell to Raise Money for At-Risk Kids in Los Angeles

Brunch event raises awareness and funds for LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program

LOS ANGELES, May 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program's 15th Annual Family Brunch honors those in our community who contribute significantly to and recognize the importance of children and LA's BEST. This year the Children's Champion Award will be presented to Executive Producer Peter Murrieta and actor David Henrie of Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place. The brunch will be held on June 6, 2010 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and is chaired by Mary Odell, President of the UniHealth Foundation and Vice Chair of the LA's BEST Board of Directors.

Emmy Award-winning producer Peter Murrieta has established himself as a versatile and successful television series show runner and creator (ABC's "Hope and Faith," the CW's "Greetings from Tucson" and Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place," for which he won Outstanding Children's Program Emmy Award in 2009). Currently, Murrieta is the executive producer of the Disney Channel's hit series "Wizards of Waverly Place" and the network's most successful telefilm this year, "Wizards of Waverly Place the Movie." His primetime television background has made the Disney Channel franchise a huge hit.

David Henrie currently stars as 'Justin Russo' on Disney Channel's highest-rated show, "Wizards of Waverly Place," which received the 2009 Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program." The show is currently shooting its third season. He was also just seen in "Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie," which aired with enormous ratings on the Disney Channel, making it the most watched telecast of the year and the channel's second most watched original movie. David will also make his television writing debut on "Wizards of Waverly Place" early this summer. He currently writes and directs his own projects and is developing an internet Web site and production company called YUTE Entertainment that will showcase his work along with other young, aspiring filmmakers all over the country.

LA's BEST Alumna, Sohar Quinteros, who received her B.A. from Pomona College and J.D. from the University of Arizona and recently passed the California State Bar Exam, will receive the Distinguished Alumna award. She credits her successes to the LA's BEST program at Hart Street Elementary where she was exposed to places and activities that gave her the confidence to "dream big."

LA's BEST will also honor Mattel with the Community Partner Award for its continued support of the LA's BEST program and commitment to volunteerism among Mattel employees. Over the past year, hundreds of employees participated in afternoons of service at multiple LA's BEST sites, and, during the holiday season, wrapped thousands of toys that were given as gifts to LA's BEST children across the city.

The event is expected to raise $700,000 and includes a raffle for an all-new 2010 Toyota Prius, generously donated by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. All funds raised will go to general operating expenses for LA's BEST. LA's BEST, a model after school program in the country, is a public-private partnership that relies on the generosity of corporations and individuals to provide these children with the opportunity to be protected, cared for, and engaged in learning and play in the critical hours after school.

Individual tickets start at $250 and sponsorships range from $25,000-$5,000. For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Catherine Stringer, Vice President, Development & Public Affairs at (213) 978-0793.

About Mattel

Mattel, Inc., (Nasdaq: MAT, www.mattel.com) is the worldwide leader in the design, manufacture and marketing of toys and family products. The Mattel family is comprised of such best-selling brands as Barbie®, the most popular fashion doll ever introduced, Hot Wheels®, Matchbox®, American Girl®, Radica® and Tyco R/C®, as well as Fisher-Price® brands, including Little People®, Power Wheels® and a wide array of entertainment-inspired toy lines. In 2009, Mattel was recognized among the "100 Best Corporate Citizens" and as one of the "World's Most Ethical Companies."  In 2010, for the third year in a row, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For." With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs approximately 29,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands-today and tomorrow.

About LA's BEST

LA's BEST - Better Educated Students for Tomorrow - is a nationally recognized after school education, enrichment and recreation program serving more than 28,000 children with the greatest needs and fewest resources throughout the City of Los Angeles. LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program provides a safe haven for children ages 5 to 12 at 180 elementary school sites each day during the critical hours after school - at no cost to parents. Established in 1988, LA's BEST is a partnership including the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and the private sector. For more information, please visit www.lasbest.org.

SOURCE LA's BEST After School Enrichment Program