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Mattel’s continued support allows further global expansion of youth and education initiatives
Washington, D.C. – Special Olympics has announced the renewal of an agreement with Mattel, Inc., and Mattel Children’s Foundation that provides funds to help Special Olympics in the development and expansion of three global programs– the Young Athletes™ program which engages youth ages 2 through 7 with intellectual disabilities; the Special Olympics Get Into It® school-based curriculum, which teaches understanding, acceptance and involvement; and Team Mattel, which engages Mattel employees as volunteers in the Special Olympics movement around the world. The renewal marks the fourth consecutive year for the agreement.
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“Mattel’s support over the last several years has been invaluable in helping broaden the global reach of our movement as well as reach out to the future of our movement - youth,” said Special Olympics Chairman of the Board Timothy Shriver. “With Mattel’s support we’ve been able to encourage young people to ‘Be a Fan’ of acceptance and inclusion more than ever by bringing our message into classrooms around the world.”
“Mattel's commitment to Special Olympics stems from our philanthropic vision of making a meaningful difference one child at a time,” said Kevin Farr, CFO, Mattel, Inc., and Chairman, Mattel Children's Foundation. “Our corporate values dictate that we play together with our communities and we view our partnership with Special Olympics as not only a social responsibility, but also a social opportunity to impact the lives of thousands of young athletes around the world.”
Since 2005, Mattel’s funding has provided the opportunity for the Young Athletes Program to expand to 17 different countries and has helped the Special Olympics Get Into It curriculum be integrated into more than 15,000 schools in over 65 Programs in every Special Olympics region.
From the start of the relationship, approximately 10 percent of Mattel employees around the world have volunteered as part of Team Mattel at Special Olympics Programs in Asia Pacific, East Asia, Europe/Eurasia, Latin America and North America. In 2007, in addition to the more than 2,000 employees that volunteered at Special Olympics Programs worldwide, Mattel provided one of the largest corporate volunteer teams during the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games. More than 50 Team Mattel employees from more than 13 countries traveled to Shanghai, China, to cheer on and support Special Olympics athletes as they competed in the World Games.
The renewal of the agreement with Mattel and the Mattel Children’s Foundation will continue to provide support for expansion of the Young Athletes program around the world and for further outreach to schools and youth using the Special Olympics Get Into It curriculum as a tool. This support not only provides the opportunity for more individuals with intellectual disabilities to participate in Special Olympics, it also provides a platform to educate and engage youth around the world in the Special Olympics movement. Additionally, through Team Mattel, support will go directly toward Special Olympics sports events around the world and engaging increasing numbers of Mattel employees from more countries in the Special Olympics experience.
About the Mattel Children's Foundation:
The Mattel Children's Foundation marks its 30th anniversary in 2008. With a vision of "making a meaningful difference, one child at a time," the Foundation provides cash grants through domestic and international grantmaking programs, as well as international scholarships to children of employees and matching gifts for Mattel employees. The Foundation grants funds to organizations directly serving children in need in approximately 40 countries each year. In addition, the Foundation continues its tradition of partnering with exemplary nonprofit partners. Mattel has partnered with Special Olympics, Save the Children, the Mattel Children's Hospital at UCLA, the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI), the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation (CAAF) and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Mattel Children's Foundation is funded exclusively by cash donations from Mattel, Inc.
About Mattel:
Mattel, Inc., (NYSE: MAT, http://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. Mattel is recognized as one of 2008's "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE Magazine. With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs more than 30,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells products in more than 150 nations. Mattel donates more than 2 percent of its pretax profit to global philanthropic efforts which include the Mattel Children’s Foundation. Mattel's vision is to be the world's premier toy brands -- today and tomorrow.
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