They are being sold only at Chicago-area Target and Toys R Us stores this holiday season.
There are six dolls priced in the Hearts For Hearts Girls collection www.hearts4heartsgirls.com; they cost $29.99. Each 14-inch doll represents a different country: Consuelo (Mexico), Lilian (Belarus), Dell (United States), Nahji (India), Rahel (Ethiopia) and Tipi (Laos). Each lifelike doll represents a girl who is working to change her community in ways unique to her home country.
Each doll in the charitable doll collection sends the message: "Changing the world, one heart at a time." Playing with the dolls helps children learn about challenges other children face in other parts of the world. By playing with these dolls, girls can make a contribution and a difference in the lives of their peers here in the United States and around the world. That's because a portion of each doll sold will go directly to help children from that doll's country.
Each doll has her own story:
- Consuelo lives in Mexico City, aiding hungry children who are homeless and live on the streets near her home. She loves pretty colors -- notice her earrings and pretty pink floral headband.
- Lilian of Belarus is determined to help girls whose parents must find work in the city -- and are forced to leave their children with orphanages. Lilian is dressed in a Russian long sleeved blouse and colorful vest with traditional embroidery.
- Dell lives in Kentucky's Appalachian Mountains where she creates music and knitwear she shares with others who need warm clothing. Dell wears her camouflaged cap and a butterfly necklace.
- Rahel of Ethiopia journeys with her family into the bush to help bring back aid to her community. Rahel dreams of becoming a doctor, which will allow her to make a real difference for all ages in her region. She proudly wears colorful beads of her native land.
- Tipi lives in Laos, and is based on a real girl who shares her art and storytelling with others through dancing, drawing and puppets. She leads her school in mural contests in hopes of winning much-needed books for her class. Tipi's authentically detailed t-shirt and cropped pants reflect her sweet nature.
- Nahji hails from Assam, India, and breaks tradition to bring courage and learning to the girls who must work the tea fields. See her beautiful earrings, nose gem, necklace and headpiece, and henna on her hand are distinct and authentic details.
Visit www.hearts4heartsgirls.com to learn more about the Hearts for Hearts Girls and enjoy their upbeat original song. The dolls have already won an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award and Dr. Toy 10 Best Socially Responsible Toys and 100 Best Products.
To find out where you can find the dolls in Chicago and the suburbs, click here.
ABOUT GINA BEEBE
Gina has spent the past 30 years in the toy industry working in marketing, sales and design & development for companies such as Hasbro, Playmates Toys and, and, American Girl. She now has her own consulting business specializing in generating products for the toy and gift industry. Gina is a 2007 recipient of the Playthings Wonder Women of Toys Award.
She is currently working with Playmates Toys and is the creator behind Hearts for Hearts Girls and assembled a team to develop this new line of dolls. They went from concept to production in less than 12 months, quite an accomplishment in the toy industry.
NEWS RELEASE:
GIRLS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND CHANGE THE WORLD ...AND IT STARTS WITH A DOLL!
Hearts for Hearts Girls Hail From Appalachia to Belarus & Beyond Proving Girl Power Can Create A Bright Future
El Segundo, CA. Like the John Lennon song, Imagine, a charitable doll line called Hearts For Hearts Girls wants girls to imagine all the people living life in peace and prosperity. By playing with dolls, girls can make a contribution and a difference in the lives of their peers around the globe or here in the USA. That's because a portion of each doll sold will go directly to help children from that doll's country.
Girl power is global -- and Hearts for Hearts Girls seeks to educate youngsters that they can make a difference -- even at their age. Girls want to be connected, to belong and help. Hearts for Hearts Girls is a global community of girls where everyone can belong.
"Consuelo is based on one beautiful real life girl from Mexico," reads of the description of one of the six new dolls "who helps hungry children living in the streets of her community." Her parents own a bakery, and Consuelo decides to open a "café" where hungry children can come for unsold baked goods at the end of the day. Her mother supplies milk; but when children crowd the bakery at all hours of the day, Consuelo has to manage a whole new challenge!
In addition to Consuelo, meet Lilian (Belarus), Dell (United States), Nahji (India), Rahel (Ethiopia) and Tipi (Laos). Each lifelike and striking doll represents a girl who is working to change her community in ways unique to her home country.
They are dressed authentically, retailing for $29.99, and measure 14 inches tall. Included with each purchase is a friendship bracelet and a story booklet explaining (at an age-appropriate level) how these multicultural girls live and contribute to their families, communities, countries and the world.
The concept of empathy and learning about challenges other children face, along with the beauty of the dolls at an affordable price have been noticed by industry experts. They were awarded an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Award as well as Dr. Toy's 10 Best Socially Responsible Products and 100 Best Products for 2010.
"For parents looking to expose their daughters to other cultures," writes Time To Play magazine, "and engage them in giving to others, Hearts for Hearts Girls is a fun and interactive way to do both. It's an interesting way to open girls' eyes to what's going on in the world."
In addition to collecting the dolls, elementary school-age girls and tweens can visit the kid-safe Hearts for Hearts Girls website (www.heartsforheartsgirls.com), which offers educational activities, lively games and intriguing real stories about other girls making a difference around the world. A special code from each doll purchase will unlock a free online membership, but all girls are welcome. Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls will connect girls to each other, and the world.
To emphasize the importance of charitable acts and giving, Playmates Toys, makers of Hearts for hearts Girls, is donating a portion of each doll sale to a non-profit organization. Organizations are chosen based on their service to the regions that the Hearts for Hearts Girls dolls represent.
The first non-profit partner is World Vision, a 60-year-old humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families and their communities worldwide to tackle the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision assists roughly 100 million people in nearly 100 countries throughout all of the regions represented by Hearts for Hearts Girls--Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and the Americas. The organization provides emergency relief, humanitarian aid, food, clean water, HIV and AIDS prevention education, child sponsorship, and assists in the development of new businesses and communities through their microfinance program.
About The Playmates Toys Company
For over 40 years, Playmates Toys is among the most well respected and innovative marketing and distribution companies in the global toy industry with a proven history in the creation of innovative and imaginative products as well as the development and management of profitable, long-term brand franchises. Key brands include TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES, STAR TREK, SIMPSONS, KING KONG, TOMB RAIDERS, DICK TRACY, NANO PALS, icily, DISNEY PRINCESS, DISNEY FAIRIES, BABY SO BEAUTIFUL, WATERBABIES and the AMAZING family of intelligent dolls. From its offices in Hong Kong and California, Playmates designs, develops, markets and distributes its products in over 60 countries worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.playmatestoys.com.
About World Vision
World Vision is a humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. In addition to Hearts for Hearts Girls, World Vision distributes Tom's shoes. We serve all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, visit www.worldvision.org/press.
