Mattel Takes Power of Play to Special Olympics World Games with Largest Global Team of Corporate Volunteers
Team Mattel heads for Athens with 50 employee volunteers from more
than 20 countries
Quick Facts:
-
Since 2005, more than 8,500 Mattel employees in 35 countries have
volunteered at hundreds of local and national sports events
-
Moving toward impactful social giving through volunteerism, Mattel is
able to channel the passion of volunteers to build unique and lasting
experiences through play
EL SEGUNDO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Mattel,
Inc. (NASDAQ:MAT), proud partner of Special
Olympics since 2005, today announced that 50 employee volunteers
will serve as Team Mattel at the 2011 Special Olympics World Games,
bringing the spirit of "playing together" through volunteerism to
Athens, Greece. The employee volunteers were selected from Mattel
locations in 20 countries around the world to come together in the
spirit of diversity and inclusion.
Mattel employee volunteers, the Mattel PLAYers, play together all over the world. (Photo: Business Wire)
Mattel also will encourage visitors to "be a fan of play" in the Special
Olympics Festival Village by inviting the public to the Mattel Play
Booth, where families can enjoy playing together. Activities include a
Hot Wheels® five-lane race track (with a free Hot Wheels® car for each
visitor), Fisher-Price® play area where young children can play, a
Barbie® photo booth and learning activities center.
The Mattel Special Olympics Partnership:
Mattel understands the power of play, and as part of the company's
partnership with Special Olympics the Mattel Children's Foundation funds
two new programs, which were created with children in mind.
-
SO
GET INTO IT is a school-based set of resources designed to
help children learn acceptance through interacting with others, which
has expanded into more than 14,700 mainstream and special education
schools, in more than 85 countries impacting the lives of
approximately 641,000 children.
-
THE
YOUNG ATHLETES program engages with youth ages 2 through 7
with intellectual disabilities and their families in age-appropriate
play activities. More than 18,000 youth and 30,000 family members in
more than 66 countries have participated in the program. The Young
Athletes program has had particular success in Greece, where about 20
Mattel volunteers have been involved weekly with the program for more
than five months. A public demonstration of the program will be given
during World Games to showcase the positive impacts the program has on
young children who have special needs.
The 2011 event marks Mattel's third sponsorship of the World Games. In
2007, Mattel sent its first delegation of employee volunteers, selected
from Mattel locations around the world, to comprise Team Mattel at the
World Games in Shanghai, China.
Employee Volunteerism:
Formalized in 2006, Mattel's global volunteer program -- the Mattel
PLAYers (Partners in Local Activities for Youth) -- is a dynamic
reflection of the company's values and corporate responsibility mission
to play responsibly.
"Volunteerism is at the heart of Mattel's corporate culture, and we are
so proud to once again be part of such an incredible event like the
World Games," said Kevin Farr, chief financial officer of Mattel and
board member for Special Olympics International. "It is especially
inspiring to see how passionate our employee volunteers are when it
comes to helping others. As we make our way to Athens, the home of the
original Olympic games, it is definitely an unbelievable experience, and
I know that we will come back richer in spirit because of this
experience, which we will be able to share with our colleagues."
Mattel's support of people with disabilities also extends to its
corporate workforce. For many years Mattel has hosted a program at its
headquarters mailroom that employs adults with intellectual and physical
disabilities. The program has grown to more than 50 employees, and
expanded to include night-time janitorial services. Mattel is one of the
largest single-location employers of people with disabilities in
California. Learn
more about Mattel's program.
Resource Links:
About Mattel:
As the worldwide leader in play, the Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT
- News) (www.mattel.com)
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®, and a wide array of entertainment-inspired
toy lines. In 2011, Mattel was named as one of FORTUNE Magazine's "100
Best Companies to Work For" for the fourth year in a row, and is ranked
among Corporate Responsibility Magazine's "100 Best Corporate Citizens."
With worldwide headquarters in El Segundo, Calif., Mattel employs
approximately 31,000 people in 43 countries and territories and sells
products in more than 150 nations. Mattel donates more than 2 percent of
its pre-tax profit toward philanthropic
activities. At Mattel, we are "Creating the Future of Play."
MAT-P
Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6772588&lang=en.
Mattel, Inc.
Jules Andres, 310-252-3529
Jules.Andres@mattel.com
or
Allison
Wilson, 310-854-8261
awilson@webershandwick.com
Source: Mattel, Inc.
News Provided by Acquire Media
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