Toys"R"Us® Invites Customers To #Stir4ACure During Its Fifth Annual Campaign Benefiting Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation™
Company Hosts Nationwide In-Store Fundraising and Social Media Awareness Program to Help Find a Cure for Pediatric Cancer
WAYNE, N.J., May 28, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced the launch of its fifth consecutive fundraising campaign to benefit Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation™ (ALSF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Beginning this Saturday, May 30 through Friday, July 31, monetary donations will be collected at all Toys"R"Us® and Babies"R"Us® stores nationwide and online at Toysrus.com/AlexsLemonade. Throughout the eight-week program, Toys"R"Us will once again invite social media users to show support for the cause and for Alexandra "Alex" Scott, the inspiration behind ALSF whose motto was "when life gives you lemons, make lemonade," by joining the conversation online using #Stir4ACure. To kick off the 2015 campaign, the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, a public charity affiliated with Toys"R"Us, Inc., has provided a $100,000 grant to ALSF. Since the partnership began in 2011, Toys"R"Us and the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund, along with donations from customers, together have provided more than $8.5 million to the organization.
Click here to tweet: Host an official @AlexsLemonade stand or visit any @Toysrus store to donate and help #Stir4ACure! Toysrus.com/AlexsLemonade
Diagnosed just before her first birthday, Alex Scott began hosting lemonade stands at only 4 years old with a mission to find a cure for pediatric cancer. Before she died at the age of 8 in 2004, Alex raised $1 million through stands hosted in her name. Her parents, Liz and Jay Scott, established ALSF in 2005 to continue her dream of finding a cure for all children battling cancer. Alex's mission has evolved into a national movement, with thousands of kids continuing to host lemonade stands in her honor and "stirring" the most important ingredients of all into their lemonade – hope for the 263,000 new children affected by cancer worldwide each year. Through research projects, supporting families and encouraging kids to help other kids in need by hosting lemonade stands, the organization hopes to aid these children and their loved ones, and – ultimately – find a cure. To date, Alex's legacy has helped raise more than $100 million.
"We are extremely thankful to Toys"R"Us for their commitment to ALSF and providing us the ability to fund pediatric cancer research projects over the last five years, which has made an enormous impact on the lives of children and families fighting cancer in the U.S.," said Liz Scott, Alex's mom and Co-Executive Director for Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. "As we kick off another year of partnership together, we look forward to continuing Alex's mission and giving people across the country an opportunity to help 'Stir for a Cure.'"
"Since first partnering with ALSF in 2011, all of us at Toys"R"Us have been continually inspired by the mission that Alex set in motion, and how her story has motivated our customers, employees and local communities, to help raise more than $8.5 million for the organization," said Kathleen Waugh, Chairman, Toys"R"Us Children's Fund. "We are committed to the fight against pediatric cancer and determined to not only raise more funds that will be vital to ALSF in advancing its efforts, but also to inspire others to join the cause."
Toys"R"Us Engages Kids and Families to #Stir4ACure
To commemorate this year's partnership, Toys"R"Us will once again encourage its customers and local communities to show support for ALSF through the company's #Stir4ACure initiative. Beginning today, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram users can share who or what they stir for – whether it's a cure, a family member or all children fighting cancer – using #Stir4ACure.
Throughout the campaign, the Toys"R"Us Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages will highlight ALSF heroes, their own inspirational stories and personal connections to the cause. The company's official social media channels will also provide ongoing fundraising updates and opportunities to get involved.
Toys"R"Us is also inviting customers to participate in an upcoming Twitter Party to learn more about ALSF. Those who follow @ToysRUs on Twitter can join the conversation on Tuesday, July 14 at 2pm EDT, during a chat led by @AlexsLemonade, using the hashtag #Stir4ACure. Participants can ask questions, receive advice on hosting their own lemonade stand and more.
To download high-resolution images related to the Toys"R"Us campaign benefiting ALSF, please visit: https://toysrus.sharefile.com/d-sb4d7551e8ce41458
Charitable Giving at Toys"R"Us
The philanthropic mission of Toys"R"Us, Inc. and the Toys"R"Us Children's Fund is to keep children safe and help them in times of need. The Toys"R"Us Children's Fund contributes millions of dollars annually to various children's organizations, including those providing disaster relief to victims of large-scale crises, as well as those supporting America's military families. The Fund also provides grants to leading special needs organizations, furthering the company's commitment to children of all abilities. In addition to financial and product donations, Toys"R"Us, Inc. hosts in-store and online fundraising campaigns annually that raise millions of dollars for the company's signature philanthropic partners.
About Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation
Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF) emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra "Alex" Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for all children with cancer. Since Alex held that first stand, the Foundation bearing her name has evolved into a national fundraising movement, complete with thousands of supporters across the country carrying on her legacy of hope. To date, Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, a registered 501(c)3 charity, has raised more than $100 million toward fulfilling Alex's dream of finding a cure, funding over 475 pediatric cancer research projects nationally. For more information on Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, visit AlexsLemonade.org.
SOURCE Toys"R"Us, Inc.
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