The Joy Maker Challenge Helps Youth Take Action and Spread Much-Needed Joy This Holiday Season

PAWTUCKET, R.I., November 23, 2015 /3BL Media/ – generationOn, the youth division of Points of Light, and Hasbro, Inc. (NASDAQ:HAS) have partnered for The Joy Maker Challenge. Now in its sixth year, the annual campaign connects youth ages 5-18 to meaningful, hands-on service projects and encourages them to take action and spread some much needed joy to those in need during the holiday season through volunteerism. For every kid and teen who volunteers as part of the campaign, Hasbro will donate a toy or game to Toys for Tots, up to $1 million worth.

Today through Dec. 23, youth, teachers, youth development professionals and families can sign up through the campaign website, generationOn.org/joymaker. The site makes it easy for youth to get involved by featuring service project ideas, ways to complete projects and how to share service stories. Those who share their stories on generationOn.org/joymaker have a chance to win grants to continue their service, including a $1,000 grand prize or one of 20 additional $250 grants. In addition, throughout the campaign, one participant will be selected each week to receive a pack of 10 Hasbro toys to donate in their local community. Youth can also share their stories of service on social media using #JoyMaker, to inspire other youth to get involved.

The lesson plans and reflection materials available on the Joy Maker Challenge website have been developed by generationOn to help youth learn about social issues, become changemakers and spread joy to those who might be in need during the holiday season, including military service men and women, sick children, seniors and the homeless.

generationOn selected 55 nationwide “Joy Maker Ambassadors” who will be equipped with 100-500 Hasbro toys and games to bring holiday joy to children in need through a range of service projects. These Joy Maker Ambassadors, who are either youth or organizations that serve youth, were selected based on their volunteer contributions, holiday project stories and community needs. Among the 55 Ambassadors are celebrity youth, including Francesca Capaldi (“Peanuts”), Gabe Eggerling (“The Kicks”), Xolo Mariduena (“Parenthood”) and Joshua Rush (“Parental Guidance”).

“We are thrilled to partner with Hasbro for the sixth year in a row on The Joy Maker Challenge, as we seek to motivate more young people than ever to get involved in service,” said Kathy Saulitis, SVP Programs, generationOn. “Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for youth and their families to put their empathy and compassion into action during the holidays, so we are excited to see how others will join us in spreading joy this season.”

Since the campaign’s inaugural year in 2010, nearly 720,000 total acts of service have been completed by youth worldwide, generating $5 million worth of toys and games donated to Toys for Tots by Hasbro. Inspiring service projects completed by kids and teens over the years include:

• 200 students from Bassick High School in Connecticut made more than 100 lunch bags for residents at the local YMCA, stuffed 200 goodie bags with kind notes and cooked a meal for 44 veterans
• 35 youth came together in Corvallis, Oregon, to do a variety of service projects, including raking leaves in the yards of senior citizens and people with disabilities
• 50 students from Lawrence Academy in Massachusetts collected 1,000 gifts that were delivered to 20 shelters and 7 local hospitals 

Hasbro is a founding partner of generationOn and one of Toys for Tots’ largest corporate sponsors, providing donations of more than $30 million in toys and games since 1997. Through The Joy Maker Challenge, Hasbro is able to support both generationOn’s mission of developing caring and empathy in youth, empowering them to be compassionate changemakers, while at the same time helping Toys for Tots meet its goal of distributing toys to less fortunate children in communities across the United States. The Joy Maker Challenge is part of Hasbro’s larger philanthropic focus on kindness in addition to its ongoing support of generationOn.

“At Hasbro, we believe it’s important to empower kids to realize they have the power to change their communities through their actions,” said Karen Davis, SVP of Global Philanthropy and Social Impact at Hasbro, Inc. “The Joy Maker Challenge enables us to not only encourage youth to take action in making the world a better place, but let them know that their actions will also help a child in need experience the joy of unwrapping a present as a result of our donation to Toys for Tots.”

To learn more about The Joy Maker Challenge, please visit generationOn.org/joymaker. You can also follow both generationOn (@generationOn) and Hasbro (@Hasbro) on Twitter and search #JoyMaker to join the conversation online. 

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About generationOn

generationOn, the youth service division of Points of Light, inspires, equips and mobilizes kids and teens to make their mark on the world through volunteer service. Programs equip youth with the skills to make a difference, while also supporting the development of caring and empathy. Through service with generationOn, youth are empowered to be compassionate changemakers in their communities and the world.

About Points of Light

Points of Light – the largest organization in the world dedicated to volunteer service – mobilizes millions of people to take action that is changing the world. Through affiliates in 250 cities and partnerships with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages more than 4 million volunteers in 30 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it matters most. For more information, go to www.pointsoflight.org.

About Hasbro

Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) is a global company committed to Creating the World's Best Play Experiences, by leveraging its beloved brands, including LITTLEST PET SHOP, MAGIC: THE GATHERING, MONOPOLY, MY LITTLE PONY, NERF, PLAY-DOH and TRANSFORMERS, and premier partner brands. From toys and games, television programming, motion pictures, digital gaming and lifestyle licensing, Hasbro fulfills the fundamental need for play and connection with children and families around the world. The Company's Hasbro Studios and its film label, ALLSPARK PICTURES, create entertainment brand-driven storytelling across mediums, including television, film, digital and more. Through the company's commitment to corporate social responsibility, including philanthropy, Hasbro is helping to build a safe and sustainable world and to positively impact the lives of millions of children and families. Learn more at www.hasbro.com, and follow us on Twitter (@Hasbro & @HasbroNews) and Instagram (@Hasbro).