Think back to your childhood when you opened a birthday or holiday gift that you had been pining for. Do you remember the happiness you felt?
Moose Toys, the Australian company behind holiday hits like Magic Mixies and Shopkins, describes feelings similar to this as “Superhappy” and aims to make all kids — no matter their circumstances — feel that way. The company has always been involved in philanthropic causes but started The Moose Happy Kids Foundation nine years ago to further spread joy amid its international growth.
“As the business expanded, it was important that our community impact grew — both in scale and the regions we supported,” explains Belinda Gruebner, Chief Marketing Officer of The Moose Happy Kids Foundation. “Today, the Foundation has its own dedicated team [and] has donated more than $12.5 million and made 4.2 million kids smile around the world.”
The Foundation focuses on three key pillars to guide its mission: Well-being, Opportunities, and Inclusivity.
BEHIND THE PILLARS
Well-being falls under the belief that laughter is the best medicine, delivering happy moments to kids going through difficult times. It’s under this pillar that Moose partners with The Humour Foundation in Australia and Healthy Humor in the U.S., both of which feature “Clown Care” programs that use laughter and a little magic to help kids in hospitals feel less anxious. Moose recently partnered with Foundation Theodora in Hong Kong to expand the initiative to China.
“Opportunities focuses on causes that provide kids the opportunity to learn, grow, and reach their full potential through access to education, no matter where they live,” says Gruebner, who has been with the Foundation since its inception. One partner within this pillar is the Adara Group, which works to help improve health and education in remote regions of the world.
The final key pillar is inclusivity. This focuses on involving all kids in play, no matter their culture or abilities. Moose Toys was a founding partner of AllPlay, which offers evidence-based resources and activities to support the 1 in 6 Australian kids who have a developmental challenge or disability.
MOOSIES AT PLAY
“The Foundation is one of the reasons our team loves what they do at Moose,” Gruebner says. “We have been so fortunate to build a global team that gets behind these initiatives [with] huge hearts and desire to see positive change.”
Moosies — members of the company’s international team — play a big role in driving its charitable initiatives. Moose provides a budget for each territory that Moosies are encouraged to use toward local initiatives alongside in-kind donations of time and skills. Additionally, Moose Toys has launched an internal giving platform, which gives Moosies the opportunity to support causes they are passionate about.
“We truly believe it is our responsibility to contribute positively to the communities that we operate in, empowering people to thrive,” says Gruebner of her team. “These values are intrinsically linked to how our entire team shows up every day – there is no success for Moose without giving back generously.”
A version of this feature was originally published in The Toy Book’s 2024 Licensing & Entertainment Issue. Click here to read the full issue! Want to receive The Toy Book in print? Click here for subscription options!
