If, as I did, you grew up playing with Fisher-Price’s “Little People,” you no doubt feel a wave of nostalgia upon just hearing the name. But if you have little people of your own these days, you may already be well-acquainted with the current generation of this legacy line—and are well accustomed to seeing them among the other playthings littering your home as we shelter-in-place.
Wednesday morning, parent brand Mattel paid tribute to the heroes of our present crisis, unveiling “a new, special edition line of collectibles that honor the individuals leading the fight against COVID-19, as well as the everyday heroes who are working to keep communities up and running.” A new, five-figure collection of Fisher-Price’s Little People represents some of the essential workers we’ve been depending on in recent weeks doctors, nurses and EMTs, of course, but also grocery store and delivery workers.
And the toy brand is also making sure their appreciation pays off during the coronavirus crisis, as stated by Mattel:
All net proceeds from the #ThankYouHeroes line will go to First Responders First (org established by CAAFoundation, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health + Thrive Global, in partnership with The Entertainment Industry Foundation) to provide resources to first responders who serve on the frontlines and their families. The program is part of our broader “Play It Forward” platform, which focuses on leveraging Mattel brands to give back to communities in times of need.
In addition to raising funds to support our first responders, Mattel is using its resources and workforce to produce 500,000 face shields for healthcare workers, after originally committing 100,000. As COVID-19 continues to devastate communities across America, it’s a gesture that will hopefully keep our lifesaving workers safer. Similarly, Fisher-Price’s new collection is a wonderful way to teach our children that there are no “little people” in combatting a crisis like this; it is essential that we all do our part.