Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad Receives Disney Store Backpacks and Lunch Totes as Part of Nationwide Back-to-School Donation Program
Carlsbad, CA, August 9, 2005 – Thanks to Disney Store and generous shoppers, Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad recently received a donation of 35 backpacks and lunch totes as part of a nationwide back-to-school promotion held in late July at more than 300 Disney Stores nationwide. Disney Store customers were invited to purchase two backpacks or two lunch totes at a discounted two-for-one price, with one of the items being donated to Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad for a child in need.
“We’re very pleased to have made a difference for kids on a real grass-roots level by providing much-needed back-to-school items,” said Mario Ciampi, president of Disney Store. “We’d like to thank our customers, who were very generous in their donations, and our cast members, who worked very hard to make our back-to-school program a great success.”
Disney Store backpacks and lunch totes are popular with kids because they’re fun, colorful and functional. They feature beloved Disney characters, including Tinkerbell, Minnie Mouse, JoJo (from JoJo’s Circus) and Disney Princesses for girls, and The Incredibles and Power Rangers for boys. Disney characters are especially comforting to small children starting a new school year – particularly those beginning school for the first time.
“We’re extremely thankful to Disney Store and its customers for sending our kids back to school with Disney-themed accessories that will make them feel really special,” said Ron Sipiora, Chief Professional Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Carlsbad.
DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, was also involved in the promotion, providing participating customers with a DisneyHand “Show Your Character” bookmark and sticker to commemorate the donation and to thank them for getting involved. Disney has long supported Boys & Girls Clubs and has donated more than $3 million to the organization this year alone.
Boys & Girls Clubs, "The Positive Place For Kids," strive to let every child know that someone cares. Club programs enhance the development of boys and girls by instilling a sense of competence, usefulness, belonging and influence while providing a safe place for children to learn, grow and have fun.
About DisneyHand
DisneyHand, worldwide outreach for The Walt Disney Company, is dedicated to making the wishes of families and children a reality through public service initiatives, community outreach and volunteerism in the areas of compassion, learning, the arts and the environment. In 2004, DisneyHand contributed more than $165 million in cash, in-kind support and public service airtime globally, while Disney VoluntEARS contributed more than 461,000 hours to 1,852 outreach projects. For more information, please visit www.disneyhand.com.
About Disney Store North America
Disney Store originated the themed retail environment when it opened its first store in Glendale, California in 1987. Disney Store currently operates over 300 locations in the United States and Canada that offer immediate access to magical Disney products. Disney Store is operated by a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Children’s Place Retail Stores, Inc. (Nasdaq: PLCE), a leading specialty retailer of apparel and accessories for children.
Pictured (from left): Boys & Girls Club members Seb Kassegne (9), Cristi Ann Chochran (8), Jon Dittoe (7), Chanel McNaught (11), J.D. Sandoval (11), Austin Linamen (6), and Disney Store manager Jeanette Grooms.
