The IKEA Soft Toy Campaign is back! The annual global campaign starts from 1 Nov to 24 Dec 2011, and IKEA wants you to get involved! Every soft toy or chicken nuggets kid’s meal you buy at the IKEA store will equate to a 1 Euro (approx. RM4.25) donation by the IKEA Foundation to UNICEF & Save The Children for kids in need to have quality education.
This year, in additional to the annual global campaign, IKEA customers have a chance to give twice by donating their purchased IKEA soft toy to underprivileged children in Malaysia. All they need to do is to drop off their purchased IKEA soft toys into the bin at Exchange & Returns counter in the IKEA store for it to be donated.
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The IKEA Foundation aims to improve the opportunities for children and youth by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change, and enable them to take charge of their own future. Since 2003, IKEA Foundation has raised a total of 35.2 million Euro, which has helped educate more than 8 million children in 45 countries. This year’s goal, through the annual global Soft Toy Campaign is to raise 12 million Euro.
SAVE the Children is the world’s leading children’s rights organization, with 29 national Save the Children offices and operational programs in over 120 countries.
UNICEF helps children in over 150 countries and territories, from early childhood through adolescence. It is the world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries. UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS.
[quote]“What better way to spend the school holidays than getting involved in this year’s give twice IKEA Soft Toy campaign, where you can make a personal contribution to help more children go to school and also to give twice by donating the soft toy to provide many underprivileged children in our community with a memorable holiday gift.”, says Ms Yeong Tze Kuen, Deputy Regional Marketing Manager of IKEA. [/quote]
Three homes have been identified to receive these toys – Shelter Home, Baitul Fiqh and Lighthouse Children Welfare Home. The toys will be distributed to these homes after the campaign ends. Ms Yeong added that IKEA will look for more homes to receive donated toys depending on the response of the donation.
The children from these 3 homes were specially invited to the IKEA store for an early Swedish Xmas Party. Aged of 3 to 14, they were treated to an array of exciting and creative activities and got to pick out any soft toys at the Children’s department for their Xmas presents.
[quote]“It’s heartwarming to know hopefully, hundreds of plush, cuddly and adorable soft toys will soon be in the welcoming arms of underprivileged children in our community, thanks to the kindness of our customers who wants to give twice in this year’s IKEA Soft Toy Campaign. The best gift you can give a child is the gift of an education. And educating all our children is a top priority. This school holiday, we hope our customers will pick the present that gives millions of children the joy of education. Plush and cuddly IKEA soft toys are clearly the gift that gives back”, says Puan Roszalena Mashurdin, Store Manager of IKEA Damansara, whom I had the pleasure of meeting at a recent blogger tour. [/quote]
So do your little bit for the children this Xmas. Buy a soft toy or two and drop them in the bin at the Exchange & Returns counter in the IKEA store. Happy Xmas!
More pics in gallery: [nggallery id=94]
Interesting links:
[spoiler title=”Show Official Press Release”]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
IKEA Soft Toys for local underprivileged children
Mutiara Damansara, 22 November 2011 – The annual global IKEA Soft Toy Campaign is back! From 1 Nov to 24 Dec 2011, every soft toy or chicken nuggets kid’s meal you buy at the IKEA store will equate to a 1 Euro (approximately RM4.25) donation by the IKEA Foundation to UNICEF & Save The Children for kids in need to have quality education.
This year, IKEA is aiming the campaign to be more meaningful and closer to our community – and IKEA wants its customers to get involve. In additional to the annual global campaign, local charitable initiative is supported where IKEA customers have a chance to give twice by donating their purchased IKEA soft toy to underprivileged children in Malaysia. Customers can drop off their purchased IKEA soft toys into the bin at Exchange & Returns counter in the IKEA store for it to be donated.
“What better way to spend the school holidays than getting involved in this year’s give twice IKEA Soft Toy campaign, where you can make a personal contribution to help more children go to school and also to give twice by donating the soft toy to provide many underprivileged children in our community with a memorable holiday gift.”, says Ms Yeong Tze Kuen, Deputy Regional Marketing Manager of IKEA.
Ms Yeong added, “We have so far identified 3 homes which will be getting these toys, and we will distribute the toys to them after the campaign ends. The homes are Shelter Home, Baitul Fiqh and Lighthouse Children Welfare Home. Depending on the response of the soft toy donation, we will then look for more homes to receive the donated toys.”
The children from these 3 homes were invited to the IKEA store for an early Swedish Xmas Party. The children from the age of 3 to 14 were treated to an array of exciting activities, from decorating of their own photo frames for the personalised photo with Santa Claus, storytelling sessions using this year’s soft toy range, caroling, fun clowns, to delicious breakfast, lunch and the children chose one of their many Xmas presents; any soft toys at the Children’s department.
“It’s heartwarming to know hopefully, hundreds of plush, cuddly and adorable soft toys will soon be in the welcoming arms of underprivileged children in our community, thanks to the kindness of our customers who wants to give twice in this year’s IKEA Soft Toy Campaign. The best gift you can give a child is the gift of an education. And educating all our children is a top priority. This school holiday, we hope our customers will pick the present that gives millions of children the joy of education. Plush and cuddly IKEA soft toys are clearly the gift that gives back”, says Puan Roszalena Mashurdin, Store Manager of IKEA Damansara.
Since 2003, IKEA Foundation has raised a total of 35.2 million Euro, which has helped educate more than 8 million children in 45 countries. This year’s goal, through the annual global Soft Toy Campaign is to raise 12 million Euro.
IKEA strongly supports the rights of every child and understands that education is key to their growth and development. Through the partnership between IKEA Foundation with Save the Children and UNICEF, the annual IKEA Soft Toy for Education campaign continues to impact millions of children’s lives in developing countries with access to a quality education, school supplies, better teaching facilities and sanitation, as well as trained and dedicated teachers.
About IKEA
Home is the most important place in the world. A personal space and comforting spot where family and friends gather, where children learn and grow. A place where everyone is welcome to just hang out, everyday. IKEA helps to create a better everyday life at home for the many people.
Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered a wide range of well-designed home furnishings and functional living solutions at prices so low that the many people can afford them. IKEA believes that showing responsibility for people and the environment is a condition for doing good business. This means that IKEA’s low prices must not be at the expense of people or the environment – low price but not at any price. IKEA incorporates environmentally friendly efforts into its day-to-day business and continuously supports initiatives benefiting causes such as children and the environment. Read about IKEA’s sustainability efforts at www.IKEA.com.my/sustainability. To date, there are more than 321 IKEA stores in 38 countries.
About the IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation aims to improve the opportunities for children and youth by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change, and enable them to take charge of their own future. We work with strong strategic partners applying innovative approaches to achieve large-scale results in four fundamental areas of a child’s life. Learn more at www.ikeafoundation.org
About Save the Children
SAVE the Children is the world’s leading children’s rights organization, with 29 national Save the Children offices and operational programs in over 120 countries. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development and participation. We deliver immediate and lasting improvements to children’s lives worldwide. For more information about Save the Children please visit www.savethechildren.net
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in over 150 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information, please visit www.unicef.org
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