Mattel Once Again Says #ThankYouHeroes by Supporting First Responders Children’s Foundation and Honoring Global Frontline Medical Workers with One-of-a-Kind Barbie Dolls

Mattel, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAT) announced today that Barbie will donate $5 for each eligible Barbie doctor, nurse and paramedic doll sold at Target to the First Responders Children’s Foundation (FRCF), benefiting the children of first responders. These dedicated heroes have worked tirelessly in the fight against COVID-19 since the pandemic began. This is a continuation of Mattel’s #ThankYouHeroes signature program, launched last year as part of the company’s broader “Play it Forward” platform, focused on leveraging Mattel’s iconic brands to give back to communities in times of need.

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The brand is spotlighting six women who are modern real-life heroes of the pandemic and honoring them with their own one-of-a-kind doll made in their likeness (Photo: Business Wire)

With over 200 careers, Barbie continues to celebrate role models, as every child imagines that they can be anything, but actually seeing that they can, and hearing the stories of others, makes all the difference.

“Barbie recognizes that all frontline workers have made tremendous sacrifices when confronting the pandemic and the challenges it heightened,” said Lisa McKnight, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Barbie & Dolls, Mattel. “To shine a light on their efforts, we are sharing their stories and leveraging Barbie’s platform to inspire the next generation to take after these heroes and give back. Our hope is to nurture and ignite the imaginations of children playing out their own storyline as heroes.”

Experts in their fields who have shown unprecedented courage during a challenging time, these six role models made a positive impact in their communities, inspiring current and future generations for years to come. The global lineup of women honored with a one-of-a-kind doll includes:

• Amy O’Sullivan, RN (United States) - Emergency Room nurse Amy O’Sullivan treated the first COVID-19 patient in Brooklyn at the Wyckoff Heights Medical Center, became ill and was intubated, then a few weeks later returned to work to continue taking care of others.
• Dr. Audrey Sue Cruz (United States) - Dr. Cruz, a frontline worker from Las Vegas, NV, during the pandemic, joined forces with other Asian-American physicians to fight racial bias and discrimination.
• Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa (Canada) - A psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto, Canada, Dr. Oriuwa has advocated against systemic racism in healthcare, which has been further highlighted by the pandemic.
• Professor Sarah Gilbert (United Kingdom) - As a professor of vaccinology, Professor Gilbert led the development of the University of Oxford vaccine in the U.K.
• Dr. Jaqueline Goes de Jesus (Brazil) - As a biomedical researcher, Dr. Goes is credited for leading the sequencing of the genome of a COVID-19 variant in Brazil.
• Dr. Kirby White (Australia) - A General Practitioner in Australia, Dr. White co-founded the Gowns for Doctors initiative – by developing a PPE gown that could be laundered and re-used, allowing frontline workers in Victoria, AU to continue seeing patients during the pandemic.

"Thank you to Mattel and Barbie,” said Jillian Crane, President of First Responders Children's Foundation. “Mattel and Barbie showed up for First Responders Children's Foundation at the beginning of the pandemic. With their generous donations, we gave some joy to children across the country during a very difficult and scary time. With Mattel's financial support, we bought thousands of hotel room nights with food stipends for first responders on the frontlines." Ms. Crane added, "This exciting new partnership with Mattel, Barbie and Target will support our Power of Play Program which focuses on the social, emotional and behavioral well-being of children. These special Barbie dolls give children the opportunity to role-play with everyday heroes who show up for us in emergencies 365 days a year!”