It used to be that when we thought of a hero, we thought of someone who kind of resembled a superhero. We’re talking about police officers and fire fighters. You know, people who rescue people.
Nothing against police officers and fire fighters, but they’re currently not at the top of our list when it comes to heroes. The coronavirus pandemic has changed that. Doctors and nurses are currently the heroes on the front lines, fighting the good fight against COVID-19 and saving lives, but they’re not the only heroes.
There are several careers that never seemed exactly heroic until now, but we definitely consider delivery drivers and grocery store workers heroes. As essential workers, they go to work every day, face mask on, ready to help. While many of us are staying home, these workers are making our weekly food runs possible and delivering everything else we need to stay sane during quarantine.
Mattel wants to give back to the heroes of COVID-19, and as a toy company, they are giving back with toys. The company’s Fisher-Price line, known for their action figures and Little People collection, has announced a new set of toys that honor first responders.
Today through May 31st, #ThankYouHeroes are available for preorder. The action figures include a variety of doctors, nurses, delivery drivers and EMTs. For the little kids, there is a set of Little People Community Champions which includes a doctor, nurse, EMT, delivery driver and grocery store worker.
Each item costs $20, and $15 goes directly to The Entertainment Industry Foundation, in support of #FirstRespondersFirst. According to Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, one of the organizations behind the #FirstRespondersFirst initiative, “We launched #FirstRespondersFirst to support healthcare workers and their families who are on the frontlines of this pandemic…it will be wonderful to see this new Fisher-Price collection not only bring joy to children, but give parents and caregivers a new way to honor healthcare first responders and everyday heroes and their families.”
Chuck Scothon, Senior Vice President of Fisher-Price and Global Head of Infant and Preschool, Mattel, said in a press release, “#ThankYouHeroes is designed to immortalize and honor healthcare and every day heroes, and to drive additional donations to support first responders. Whether these toys are given as a gift to recognize someone working on the front lines, or used as a tool to help children have conversations about how they are feeling, it is our hope that Fisher-Price toys, and play in general, can ultimately make these difficult times easier for both kids and adults.”
The preordered action figures are expected to ship on December 31, 2020. We think they would make great gifts for children and for our friends who are first responders.