Beanie Babies has introduced a new teddy bear called the Aloha Beanie Baby that will help the survivors of the Maui wildfires. On 17 August, the owner of the largest plush manufacturer, Ty Warner, announced that Ty Inc will be donating all profits to the American Red Cross. The plushies are a limited collection, and Ty Warner has introduced the Aloha Beanie Baby in light of Beanie Babies’ 30th anniversary.
In a press statement, he said:
“Loss can strike at any time. The speed and savagery of the Maui wildfires are an especially horrific, heartbreaking reminder. While I can’t undo what has happened, I can try to help those who are suffering in the aftermath.”
He went on to explain that survivors lack basic essentials, including food, clothing, and shelter following the wildfires. He has since partnered with Red Cross to “help ease their burden.”
The plush has been described as the Ty Maui Relief Bear “Aloha.” It sports a rainbow ribbon and a chest inscription that states “Maui Strong.”
Like all Beanie Babies, the Aloha Beanie Baby has a birthday and a poem. The 8th August bear’s poem reads:
“Helping each other all day long/We forever will stay Maui strong.”
Where to buy the Aloha Beanie Baby? Details revealed
The bear is currently available for preorder on the Royal Emporium website, and you can register on the official waitlist if you're interested in obtaining one. According to the site, the plush is priced at $7.99. They noted that the Aloha bear will be released at the end of September.
A product picture on the website revealed that "100% of the profits" made by Aloha will be donated to "multiple relief partners" that will provide assistance to the Maui wildfires survivors.
Meanwhile, Ty Inc. has created a fictional re-telling, The Beanie Bubble, which narrated Warner’s story of becoming a billionaire. Speaking about the same and the current fires in Hawaii, Ty Inc.’s Senior Vice President of Global Sales and Licensing, Tania Lundeen, said in a press release that the situation in Maui is "real."
She went on to add that Warner intends to focus on providing relief to the Maui residents with the latest Aloha Beanie Baby.
Elaborating on their collaboration with Ty Inc., the American Red Cross said in a press statement that they were “grateful” for their partnership with the organization as it would “provide comfort and hope for communities.”
Ty Inc is not the only company that has volunteered to help Maui amidst the fires. Earlier this week, Hormel Foods announced that they intend to provide Maui wildfire survivors with food.