Mattel honors everyday heroes fighting coronavirus with action figure line

What do a doctor, nurse, EMT, delivery driver, and grocery store worker have in common? They're all essential workers in the current coronavirus pandemic ... and they're all going to be honored as Mattel action figures.

Mattel will honor these workers fighting COVID-19 with the launch of its Fisher-Price #ThankYouHeroes line of 16 different collectible action figures (four nurses, EMTs, doctors, and delivery drivers each) and a special five-character Little People Community Champions set consisting of a doctor, nurse, EMT, delivery driver, and grocery store worker.

Each figure will be available for pre-order on Wednesday at a cost of $20. Through May 31, the net proceeds from each sale, or $15, will go toward the #FirstRespondersFirst initiative, which supports first responder healthcare workers fighting the coronavirus with "essential supplies, equipment, accommodations, child care, food, mental health support, and other resources, according to Thrive Global's website, one of the fund's partnering organizations. All figures should ship to consumers by Dec. 31.

"We launched #FirstRespondersFirst to support healthcare workers and their families who are on the frontlines of this pandemic," said Arianna Huffington, founder and CEO of Thrive Global, in a press release. “Mattel’s iconic brands and products speak to something deep within us. So it’s wonderful to see this new Fisher-Price collection not only bringing joy to children, but giving parents and caregivers a new way to honor healthcare first responders and everyday heroes and their families."

Mattel is also making face shields and cloth face masks for medical professionals, having already produced 500,000 face shields, per the press release. The toy manufacturing company also recently launched the Mattel Playroom, a free online resource for parents and caregivers with activities and content for kids.

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And Mattel isn't finished giving back to the essential workers who are helping keep us afloat during the pandemic. In the coming weeks, many of its other brands will launch initiatives as part of Mattel's new "Play it Forward' platform "to give back to communities in times of need," per the press release.

“#ThankYouHeroes is designed to immortalize and honor healthcare and everyday heroes, and to drive additional donations to support first responders,” said Chuck Scothon, senior vice president of Fisher-Price and global head of infant and preschool at  Mattel, in a press release. “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.”

Mashable