6,000 Toys Provided by Event Title Sponsor Mattel Children's Foundation
Happy faces and laughter abounded at twoChildren's Institute, Inc.(CII) Holiday Festivals this month. For the first time ever, the event was expanded from one to three festival days to provide holiday joy for the approximately 6,000children and their families in attendance whose lives have been impacted by family and community violence, abuse or neglect. CII's Burton E. Green Campus in Torrance was the site of a two-day festival with a one-day celebration the following weekend at the agency's new headquarters, the Otis Booth Campus, near downtown Los Angeles.
The fun-filled festivals featured family entertainment and amusements, arts and crafts, pony rides, a toy giveaway, and of course, Santa Claus. A generous donation of 6,000 toys from Title Sponsor Mattel Children's Foundation ensured gifts for every child during the three festival days.
Festival supporters also included: 2B Communications, Accenture, AECOM Technology Corp., Bandai Foundation, The Bell Family Foundation, Bonerts Pies, Books and Cookies, The CHIPS, Christina Caruso, The City of Torrance, The Colleagues, The Collins Family Foundation, CorpInfo Services, El Pollo Loco Charities, Financial Additions, Friends of CII, Haitbrink Asphalt Paving, Inc., Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, James Event Productions, KPMG, LA Photo Party, Office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, Newman Family Foundation, Northrop Grumman, PPW, Inc., Shelter Partnershp,Toys 4 Tots and CII Board of Trustees.
The festivals were hosted for families who receive services from CII and were not open to the public. For many of these families, the festivals were the only celebrations they will experience during the holiday season.
Children's Institute, Inc. is nationally recognized for its work with children who have been traumatized by violence in their homes or communities. Since 1906, CII has served at-risk children and families in some of Los Angeles' most devastated neighborhoods. We provide healing and support through treatment, early childhood, family support, and child and youth enrichment services. In addition, the agency improves practice in the larger child welfare field through the research, training and policy efforts of the CII Leadership Center. We currently serve approximately 17,000 children and families, and train more than 9,000 professionals in the field annually. Our headquarters is located just west of downtown Los Angeles, with additional facilities in Watts, Torrance, Long Beach and other areas of Los Angeles County.
Mattel was a major sponsor of this year's events. Mattel's mission is to make a difference in the global community by effectivelyserving children in need. Partnering with charitable organizations dedicated to directly serving children, Mattel creates joy through the Mattel Children's Foundation, product donations, grant making and the work of employee volunteers. In 2009, Mattel donated almost one million toys valued at approximately $10 million in retail value to thousands of organizations around the world.
Contacts:
BBPR, Inc.
Dienna D'Olimpio, 310.980.6936