TORONTO, June 1, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- What a way to celebrate 15 years of Give a Toonie. Share a Dream! Special Olympics Canada and Staples Canada are thrilled to announce another successful campaign, which took place from May 2 to 24 at Staples Canada stores across the country. Staples Canada and their customers raised $630,000 for Special Olympics programs, giving even more Canadians with an intellectual disability the chance to realize their dreams. This brings the 15-year total to just over $6.6 million.
"On behalf of Special Olympics Canada, our 38,000-plus athletes and their families, I would like to sincerely thank Staples Canada for their ongoing commitment and dedication to Special Olympics," said Special Olympics Canada Chief Executive Officer, Sharon Bollenbach. "This year's Give a Toonie. Share a Dream. campaign, as in past years, showed the generosity of Staples Canada and their customers. Thank you to everyone who helped make this year's campaign a success!"
This year's campaign featured Special Olympics Ontario Active Start participant Levi Adam, and his father Sean. Along with being featured in campaign collateral in Staples stores throughout Canada, Levi and Sean were recently featured in a Public Service Announcement about Special Olympics Canada, highlighting the impact Special Olympics programs have on children and youth with an intellectual disability. Click here to see Levi in action!
"On behalf of Levi, our entire family, Special Olympics athletes and their families across Canada, thank you to Staples Canada, their staff and customers for their generosity, and for supporting the Special Olympics Movement and athletes like Levi," said Sean Adam. "We've seen first-hand how much Special Olympics programs, and the Active Start program in particular, have helped Levi's growth as a young boy. Your support is helping make his dreams happen, as well as the dreams of countless others across Canada. We would also like to say thank you for the opportunity to have our family be part of the Give a Toonie. Share a Dream. campaign. It has been an unbelievable experience and we are happy to see we are helping to spread a very important message."
"Throughout the past 15 editions of Give a Toonie. Share a Dream., our Associates across the country passionately got behind the campaign and have truly became champions of the movement," said Steve Matyas, President, Staples Canada. "This year's campaign was no different. Our store teams are excited to be making a huge difference in the lives of Canadians living with intellectual disabilities, like Levi, and it means a great deal to be a part of such an inspiring and important program that opens up so many new opportunities for these athletes."
Special Olympics Canada and Staples Canada look forward to many more years of the Give a Toonie. Share a Dream. campaign making more happen in the 450-plus communities Special Olympics Canada programs operate in daily.