Big Brothers Big Sisters Enlists Netflix's Klaus To Answer 6,000 Holiday Wishes From Children Across The Country

Netflix Helps Deliver Kindness This Holiday Season With Letters to Klaus Initiative

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Dec 17, 2019, 11:00 ET

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 17, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America ("BBBS"), the nation's largest donor-and volunteer-supported mentoring non-profit organization, is spreading kindness this season to children all over the country, one letter at a time. In celebration of the new animated holiday film, Klaus, BBBS partnered with Netflix to fulfill 6,000 holiday wish lists written by children in the program.

"A simple act of kindness can always spark another," says the title character in Klaus. Driven by the new animated feature's heartwarming message of spreading kindness, BBBS chose to collaborate with Netflix on the Letters to Klaus initiative this holiday season to make a difference in the lives of children and their families across the U.S. Children in the mentoring program (called 'Littles') wrote letters, with the help of their adult mentors ('Bigs') in which they shared what kindness means to them and their favorite ways to experience kindness with their Bigs. Every child then received a gift based on what they shared in their letter, tailored to how they share kindness with their Bigs.

The project kicked off on World Kindness Day on November 13 in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, where Netflix invited BBBS Bigs and Littles to unwrap massive gifts that revealed letter writing stations, bespoke presents benefiting each local community and life-changing charity donations to the local BBBS agencies. Distributed at the BBBS holiday parties across the U.S., other gifts were specially wrapped with the child's name and a postcard from Klaus. Through the Letters to Klaus initiative with Netflix, BBBS was particularly touched by wishes from Littles who needed a little extra kindness this holiday season.

Some kids may request electronics to play video games, but for others, not having access to technology could lead to falling behind in school. Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David, a long-time advocate of BBBS, heard that several Littles made special requests for tablets to do better in school through the Letters to Klaus program. David stopped by Pizzo Elementary School in Tampa, to surprise 19 Littles, who will now have new tablets to catch up on their schoolwork at home.

"It's great seeing the smiles on these kids' faces. This is one of my favorite times of the year, and any time I can lend my support to Littles, I'm glad to do it. They may cheer me on when I'm on the field, but these kids inspire me, too."

Other special wishes that BBBS discovered and fulfilled through Letters to Klaus included sending cookie decorating kits to a Big in Chicago to put together a cookie decorating party for the Littles to enjoy; pairing a 4.0 GPA student in Los Angeles with a Howard University alumni to help pursue her dream of attending the Washington, D.C.-based college; and a shopping spree for a 12-year old in New York City who has been bullied at school because of the clothes she wears.

Klaus is currently available worldwide on Netflix. For more information, please visit Netflix's Media Center.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

For Letters to Klaus
Trisha Davis (CSM)
[email protected]

For Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
De Anna Ward
[email protected]

SOURCE Netflix