Pacers, Fever, Partner with Jakks Pacific for Holiday Toy Giveaway
Official Release
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A total of over 25,000 toys will be donated to more than 40 deserving community organizations and thousands of children by the Indiana Pacers and Indiana Fever, in partnership with leading U.S. toy and consumer products company, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. The toys will be distributed this Holiday season throughout Central Indiana by various organizations and volunteer groups through the efforts of Pacers partners UPS and the Indiana National Guard.
These toys are in addition to the 14,000 toys that were distributed this summer to the children of families affected by tornadoes in the Henryville area and to the community service mission served by the Cadets of the Hoosier Youth Challenge Academy of the National Guard as part of the Pacers’ "Christmas in July" program. The total amount of toys given to Indiana children in 2012 by the Pacers and JAKKS is almost 40,000 toys.
"We are very grateful to JAKKS Pacific for once again stepping up and partnering with us to help the children of Indiana," stated Herb Simon, owner of the Pacers and the Fever. "Their support and this significant donation to our youth is very much appreciated."
"JAKKS is pleased to partner with the Pacers and my friend Herb Simon to create a magical experience for thousands of deserving children in the greater Indianapolis area this holiday season," stated Stephen Berman, President and CEO of JAKKS Pacific, Inc. “We are proud to support the Pacers organization and the vital work they do in the community with a donation of toys to brighten the holidays and bring the joy of play to children who need it the most."
At the donation tipoff event, Pacers players Paul George, Lance Stephenson and Jeff Pendergraph; Pacers Head Coach Frank Vogel; PS&E President Jim Morris; Indiana Fever President Kelly Krauskopf; and the Pacemates along with Boomer and Freddy Fever announced this donation and made the initial presentations to children in attendance. At the end of the presentation, the rest of the toys were loaded via a “Human Line of Joy” on to a UPS truck on Bankers Life Court.
JAKKS Pacific, a leading U.S. toy company, is based in California and has been designing, developing, producing and marketing toys and consumer products for children and adults around the world since 1995. JAKKS Cares is the philanthropic arm of JAKKS Pacific, and since inception, has donated over $50 million in toys, school supplies and monetary endowments to millions of underprivileged children around the world.
This holiday toy giveaway is part of Pacers Cares and the Indiana Pacers Season of Giving, which includes other holiday events such as Pacers “Come to Our House” Thanksgiving Meal presented by U.S. Foods, Shop with a Pacer presented by Simon Malls and a Pacers Sports & Entertainment Community Service Day, as well as other individual player events.