Toys 'R' Us and Babies 'R' Us Support Evacuees Affected by Hurricane Katrina

WAYNE, N.J., Sept. 12  /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, Toys "R" Us donated six semi-trailer trucks full of toys and baby supplies including diapers, wipes, and formula, as well as batteries and water to multiple locations that are housing evacuees.  Babies "R" Us has also donated over 17 pallets of baby and children's clothing to the national charity Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.), that will be distributing those items in affected areas.

With the help of disaster relief volunteers, the toys and baby supplies will be distributed to children and families housed in the Cajun Dome in Lafayette, LA, the Toyota Center in Houston, TX and shelters in Biloxi, MS and Dallas, TX.

"It has been heartbreaking to see the damage that Hurricane Katrina has caused to the families that live along the gulf coast and beyond," said John Prawlocki, Toys "R" Us Regional Vice President of the Southeast.  "We wanted to be able to help these families, and especially their children."

"K.I.D.S. is grateful for this generous donation from our longtime partner Toys "R" Us and Babies "R" Us for the youngest victims of this terrible disaster," said K.I.D.S. President Janice Weinman. "We know from our 20 years of performing disaster relief, that these essential items will go a long way to help the families and the children to survive and flourish."

The Toys "R" Us Children's Fund, Inc. has also pledged a $1.0 million donation to long-term relief in the affected areas.  In addition, Toys "R" Us has also pledged to match employee donations, made to the Fund for this effort, until September 30.  Toys "R" Us is also matching employee donations to the company's Geoffrey Fund which assists "R" Us employees in need.

Toys "R" Us is one of the leading specialty toy retailers in the world. It sells merchandise through more than 1,500 stores, including 676 toy Stores in the U.S. and 623 international toy stores, including licensed and franchise stores as well as through its Internet sites at http://www.toysrus.com/, http://www.imaginarium.com/ and http://www.sportsrus.com/.  Babies "R" Us is the largest baby product specialty store chain in the world and a leader in the juvenile industry, and sells merchandise through 221 stores in the U.S. as well as on the Internet at http://www.babiesrus.com/.

Kids In Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S.) was founded in 1985 as a 501 (c) (3) corporation to assist the victims of famine in Africa.  K.I.D.S. is a national charity that distributes clothes, shoes, books, toys and other necessities to children and youth living in poverty-stricken communities, homeless shelters, hospitals, AIDS clinics and relief organizations. Since its inception, K.I.D.S. has donated more than $450 million worth of new merchandise to children and families in need.  Over the last two decades, K.I.D.S. has distributed approximately $35 million annually to between 2 and 4 million kids.  For more information, visit http://www.kidsdonations.org/. 

DATASOURCE: Toys "R" Us



CONTACT:  Susan McLaughlin, [phone], ; or

Kathleen Waugh, [phone], , both of Toys "R" Us



Web site:  http://www.toysrus.com/

http://www.kidsdonations.org/

http://www.imaginarium.com/

http://www.sportsrus.com/

http://www.babiesrus.com/ 

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