December 1 , 2008

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, CARING CORNERS® AND GOODWILL INDUSTRIES® TEAM UP TO HELP CHILDREN LEARN THAT IT’S BETTER TO GIVE THAN TO RECEIVE

The Carton of Caring® Donation Program helps children experience the joy of giving

Too often the season of giving turns into the season of ‘getting’ – especially for children. This holiday season, children in the Upstate and Midlands of South Carolina can begin learning what it feels like to give back to their local community.  This first-of-its kind partnership between toy-maker Learning Curve Brands, Inc. and Goodwill Industries is called the Carton of Caring® Donation Program.  The program encourages charitable giving during the holidays, an important lesson of sharing and compassion that is never too early to learn.

This lesson of “giving not getting,” begins with the Caring Corners® Mrs. Goodbee™ Talking Dollhouse from Learning Curve Brands.  The dollhouse, touted as one of the “Hot Toys of 2008” by The Today Show, is actually two unique gifts in one – a gift for the child to keep and a gift for her to give away. The first gift is the dollhouse, which helps children learn social and emotional skills in a fun, interactive way through imaginative play. That second gift – the giving part – comes to life with the Carton of Caring Donation Program. Children are encouraged to fill Mrs. Goodbee’s “Carton of Caring” (the box the dollhouse comes in) with gently-used clothing and toys and donate them to any of the 2,200 Goodwill stores nationwide and in Canada.  
               
There is no better time to get children involved in the art of giving back than during the holidays. Donating is a simple caring act that can help expand a child’s world from “me” to “we.” When children donate their Carton of Caring, they will receive a Certificate of Appreciation from Goodwill Industries and earn a special online code that “unlocks” a Caring Corners web game available only through donation. 

“Carton of Caring” clothing and toy donations will be sold in Goodwill stores, with proceeds helping to fund Goodwill’s job training programs and support services in the community. “Children can feel good because their donations will help people earn a paycheck and support themselves and their families,” says President and CEO Patrick Michaels. “Most important, the experience of giving lets preschoolers learn firsthand the satisfaction of helping others in their community.”

Goodwill donation centers are open seven days a week.  Hours may vary by location.  Please visit www.goodwillsc.org for further information.

Note to the Editor: Purchase and donation is necessary to participate in the program and receive Goodwill recognition and online codes.  The Caring Corners Mrs. Goodbee Dollhouse can be found at retailers nationwide, including Target, Wal-Mart, and Toys R’ Us.

ABOUT LEARNING CURVE BRANDS, INC.
Learning Curve Brands, Inc. (www.learningcurve.com) is a wholly owned subsidiary of RC2 Corporation (NASDAQ: RCRC, www.rc2.com) and is a leading designer, producer and marketer of innovative, high-quality toys, collectibles, and infant and toddler products. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. markets its infant, toddler and preschool products under its Learning Curve® family of brands which includes The First Years® by Learning Curve and Lamaze brands as well as popular and classic licensed properties such as Thomas & Friends, Bob the Builder, Winnie the Pooh, John Deere, Nickelodeon and Sesame Street. The Company’s youth and adult products are marketed under the Johnny Lightning® (www.johnnylightning.com) and Ertl®, (www.ertl.com) brands. Learning Curve Brands, Inc. reaches its target consumers through multiple channels of distribution supporting more than 25,000 retail outlets throughout North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia Pacific.

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF UPSTATE/MIDLANDS SOUTH CAROLINA, INC.
Goodwill has 26 retail locations and 35 donation center locations throughout the Upstate and Midlands of South Carolina.  Revenues generated by the sale of donated merchandise in Goodwill’s retail stores support Goodwill’s job training and placement programs that help people become independent citizens in our community.  In the past year, Goodwill assisted 16,270 people in their quest for independence and created a potential economic impact of over $48.4 million through the wages of the 2,897 people placed into employment.

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