Spin Master and Save the Children Join Forces to Support Indigenous Communities in the Fight Against COVID-19

Photo: Nadene @ Cleopatra’s Canvas Photography / Save the Children

May 6, 2020, Toronto – With a goal of ensuring Indigenous children are protected during the COVID-19 pandemic, Spin Master and Save the Children are partnering to distribute face shields, masks and toys to Canada’s most marginalized children.

This partnership will focus on supporting children and their loved ones during this public health threat, and help children to fulfill their right to play and learn despite school closures.

Leading children’s entertainment company, Spin Master, is donating 40,000 masks and face shields to Indigenous communities. Aid agency Save the Children is distributing the personal protection equipment (PPE) to Indigenous health workers in Ontario and Manitoba through its National Reconciliation Program partnership with local Indigenous community organizations.

With many First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across the country facing PPE shortages, Spin Master and Save the Children found an innovative way to help keep children and their families safe. The toy company’s product development team came up with a solution to use headbands from the Hedbanz game, along with plastic (polyethylene terephthalate or PET) inserts, to create a face shield for health care workers. The shields, while not medical-grade, have been individually packed in a sanitary environment and offer support for those on the front lines.

“We first developed these face shields for front-line healthcare workers who are spending countless hours away from their families to help those suffering from COVID-19. Working with Save the Children, we can now provide essential PPE to at-risk communities, helping to ease anxiety for children and giving them the joy of play during this difficult time,” said Ronnen Harary, Co-CEO of Spin Master.

“Save the Children is proud to partner with Spin Master in helping ensure Indigenous health workers have access to essential supplies, and children can continue being kids amid the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Bill Chambers, President and CEO of Save the Children. “Our new realities reinforce the importance of powerful partnerships like this one, which bring us together to create a safer and healthier world for children and families.”

In addition to reducing the spread of the virus through the provision of PPE, this partnership also provides much-needed support to help manage and overcome the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic by:

• Providing 10,000 toys to support, comfort and engage children during these challenging times.
• Educational support by providing free at-home learning tools.

The partnership will also launch a joint online content initiative further enabling children to fulfill their right to play and learn at home through story time, art, music, crafts and games, featuring some of the children’s entertainment company’s most loved characters such as Paw Patrol and Hatchimals. Details of this campaign will be announced through both organizations’ social media channels.

ENDS

Photos are available upon request.

Media Contacts

Save the Children: Jessica Bryant, Head of Communications and Media, jbryant@savethechildren.ca 1-647-973-1185

Spin Master: Tammy Smitham, VP Communications, mediarelations@spinmaster.com

About Save the Children

For over 100 years, we’ve advanced children’s rights in Canada and around the world. We do whatever it takes every day and in times of crisis — to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We strive to ensure children’s unique needs are met and their voices are heard— transforming their lives and the future we share. Because we believe every girl and boy has the right to survive and thrive. Find our more savethechildren.ca

About Spin Master

Spin Master (TSX:TOY; www.spinmaster.com) is a leading global children’s entertainment company that creates, designs, manufactures, licenses and markets a diversified portfolio of innovative toys, games, products and entertainment properties. Spin Master is best known for award-winning brands including Zoomer®, Bakugan®, Erector® by Meccano®, Hatchimals®, Air Hogs® and PAW Patrol®. Since 2000, Spin Master has received 110 TIA Toy of The Year (TOTY) nominations with 30 wins across a variety of product categories, including 13 TOTY nominations for Innovative Toy of the Year.  To date, Spin Master has produced nine television series, including the relaunched Bakugan: Battle Planet and current hit PAW Patrol, which is broadcast in over 160 countries and territories globally.  Spin Master employs over 1,800 people in countries around the world including Canada, United States, Mexico, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Russia, Slovakia, Poland, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Vietnam and Australia.