Build-A-Bear Workshop® Aligns with Make-A-Wish® to "Share Your Heart" for Valentine's Day

ST. LOUIS, Jan. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- For the second year in a row in the U.S., and for the first time internationally, Build-A-Bear Workshop^® (NYSE: BBW) will commemorate Valentine's Day by offering the opportunity to "Share Your Heart" by making a donation to help Make-A-Wish^® grant life-changing wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

From now through March 31, 2015, guests in the U.S. may make a donation of $1.00 or more via in-store or online checkout; guests in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland may make a donation at checkout, and will also have the opportunity to purchase a satin heart to benefit Make-A-Wish. Satin hearts will be sold in Canada for $1, in the United Kingdom for £1 and in Ireland for €1. Each time guests make a donation, they will be asked to sign a Valentine greeting for a child in a local hospital.

One-hundred percent of the donations and funds from satin hearts collected will benefit Make-A-Wish, which received more than $440,000 in 2014 from Build-A-Bear Workshop and its guests in the U.S. Visit buildabear.com/wish to meet Chase and Emily, two of the kids whose wishes were granted in 2014 with help from Build-A-Bear and its guests.

"Valentine's Day is one of the busiest – and most sharing – times of the year at Build-A-Bear, so it is the perfect opportunity to 'share your heart'  to help Make-A-Wish create special days for the children who need them most," said Sharon John, chief executive officer, Build-A-Bear Workshop. "We are honored to support an organization that delivers so much hope and happiness to children with life-threatening medical conditions."

"Our alliance with Build-A-Bear Workshop has raised money that will allow us to provide the powerful, life-altering benefits of a wish experience to more wish children," said David Williams, president and CEO, Make-A-Wish America. "We are delighted to again be working closely with a company that shares our commitment to making life better for children – on Valentine's Day and every day."

A Legacy of Giving Back at Build-A-Bear

Since its inception, Build-A-Bear Workshop has focused its community outreach efforts on improving the lives of children, families and animals. Together, the company and its guests have donated over $41 million dollars to important causes, including: Make-A-Wish, USO, The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, First Book, and dozens of other organizations supporting children's health and wellness, domestic pets, literacy and education, and other important causes.

About Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. The impact of a wish experience spans a lifetime; strengthening children as they fight their illness, encouraging their families and inspiring their communities. Based in Phoenix, Make-A-Wish is one of the world's leading children's charities, serving children in nearly 50 countries on five continents. With the help of generous donors and more than 32,000 volunteers worldwide, Make-A-Wish has granted more than 334,000 wishes since its inception in 1980. Visit Make-A-Wish America at wish.org or Make-A-Wish International at worldwish.org to discover how you can share the power of a wish^®.

About Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Founded in St. Louis in 1997, Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc. is the only global company that offers an interactive make-your-own stuffed animal retail-entertainment experience. There are approximately 400 Build-A-Bear Workshop stores worldwide, including company-owned stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland, and franchise stores in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, and Mexico. The company was named to the FORTUNE 100 Best Companies to Work For^® list for the sixth year in a row in 2014. Build-A-Bear Workshop (NYSE: BBW) posted total revenue of $379.1 million in fiscal 2013. For more information, call 888.560.BEAR (2327) or visit the Investor Relations section of its website at buildabear.com^®.

Trademarks

We thank you for your interest in covering our business! As you write your story, we would ask that you use our full name: Build-A-Bear Workshop^® and that, when referencing the process of making stuffed animals, you use the word "make" not "build." Build-A-Bear Workshop is our well-known trade name and a registered trademark of Build-A-Bear Retail Management, Inc. As such, Build-A-Bear Workshop^® should only be used in capital letters to refer to our products and services and should not be used as a verb. Thank you!

CONTACTS:

Kristin Copeland
Ketchum PR
404-879-9248
[email protected]

Tanya Coventry-Strader
Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.
314-423-8000, ext. 5293
[email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150125/171164

SOURCE Build-A-Bear Workshop, Inc.

Related Links

http://www.buildabear.com