With many families staying home and millions more facing food, medical and job insecurity, the LEGO Foundation and the LEGO Group have joined forces to donate $50M to support the critical needs of children around the world and in Connecticut.
“Connecticut is the home of our U.S. headquarters, the heart of our US operations and the place where hundreds of LEGO employees call home. We’re thrilled to do our part to support local families and children as they navigate this crisis.” Skip Kodak, Executive Vice President, The LEGO Group, Americas
The following contributions have been made
- Relief Aid: $1.1M USD to Connecticut COVID-19 Charity Connection (4-CT) and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving COVID-19 Relief Fund. $500K to support remote learning for children while schools are closed and learning through play content. The remaining $600K will support Hartford County via two specific themes: 1) education projects that will distribute technology, and 2) a bilingual, technology-focused help desk for students and their families.
- Addressing Food Insecurity: $500K donation to No Kid Hungry (national) to purchase and distribute food for children and their families.
- Brick Donations: Working with the CT Department of Education, the LEGO Group and Give Back Box have donated LEGO Replay brick boxes and play ideas to Enfield and Bridgeport Public Schools, reaching over 1,800 students. This Give Back Box Program will hopefully inspire at home play among Enfield students eligible for free or reduced-price meals and all first graders in Bridgeport, CT. We plan to make additional brick donations to more CT and MA schools in the coming months. This effort is an expansion of the LEGO Group’s Replay program, which launched last fall.
- #LetsBuildTogether: Inspired by parents around the world who are already using LEGO bricks as a teaching tool, the LEGO Group launched the Let’s Build Together website. Managed by master builders and LEGO historians who post dozens of play ideas and teaching tools every day, #LetsBuildTogether unites builders of all ages and offers parents play inspiration and support as they keep children educated and engaged during this time of crisis.
At the LEGO Group, one of our values is caring. We’ve been caring for children’s wellbeing and development for more than 85 years. We are proud to continue this tradition and to do our part.
The LEGO Group is a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark, founded in 1932, with US headquarters in Enfield, Connecticut. It is the LEGO® philosophy that ‘good quality play’ enriches a child’s life and lays the foundation for later adult life. Play is a key element in children’s growth and development, stimulating imagination, ideas and creative expression. Our ultimate purpose is to inspire and develop children to think creatively, reason systematically and release their potential to shape their own future.