PAWTUCKET, R.I. — In this season when daylight shortens, in this year when headlines deliver dark news, on this day that dawned with a miserable commute, the sight of grownups dressed as elves wrapping toys for children was cause for joy.
Such was the scene Thursday at the headquarters of Hasbro, which celebrated its fifth annual Global Day of Joy.
Led by CEO and chairman Brian Goldner, a cafeteria full of Hasbro employees prepared gifts for distribution to all public school children in Pawtucket, Central Falls and Providence. Gifts would also reach thousands of other kids through other channels, and most of the company’s 5,400 worldwide employees would perform a paid day of community service benefiting children and families.
“We will impact 100,000 kids and give away a half a million toys, and that’s spectacular,” Goldner said. “The other thing that is spectacular is 94 percent of all of our Hasbro citizens are participating.”
From the toy and entertainment giant’s headquarters at 1027 Newport Ave., Goldner and other executives and employees traveled to Flora S. Curtis Elementary School, where they handed out gift-wrapped toys to every student — in a surprise visit. None of the children had been advised of the event.
As other Hasbro workers were doing at public schools throughout the tri-city area, Goldner, with his wife, Barbara, led the children in taking the Be Fearless Be Kind pledge, centerpiece of the Hasbro-sponsored campaign that promotes diversity, understanding and acceptance, and discourages bullying.
The pledge asks children “to be inclusive, stand up for those who need my help, and to make a difference whenever I can, wherever I can, because I can.”
Before leaving the cafeteria, Hasbro president John Frascotti had told employees “we’ve had well over a quarter of a million people around the world already take this pledge. And it is a powerful movement. If you think of the words, they’re so meaningful in today’s world where we have such craziness all around us.”
From Curtis Elementary, Goldner and his group drove to a distribution center run by Foster Forward, the nonprofit organization that supports foster children and families. Using numbered cards that described the number, age and gender of children in a family, the Hasbro entourage filled bags with some of the 14,000 toys that Hasbro donated to the center, plus clothing donated by others. Families could claim their bags through Saturday. Some 2,000 were expected to do so.
“This is great,” said Gov. Gina Raimondo, who made an appearance.
"Head Elf" Kevin Colman, formally known as Manager, Global Philanthropy and Social Impact, agreed. "It's incredible to be able to make a difference in the community by doing service," he told The Journal. "That's my passion, so this is a great day for me."
And so the day continued around the world, from Hong Kong to Russia to Brazil, with some 250 volunteer projects expected to be completed, culminating in Rhode Island with an evening party that Hasbro throws its employees and their families every year.
On Global Day of Joy, Hasbro gives all of its approximately 5,400 employees in more than 40 countries the day off with pay in return for wrapping gifts and performing acts of community service. About 1,500 of the $5-billion corporation’s employees are based in Rhode Island.
Beyond the Global Day of Joy, Hasbro workers earn four hours of paid time off every month for volunteering with community causes and organizations. Such provisions, along with other factors including the company’s record on human rights and the environment, prompted CR Magazine to rank Hasbro first on this year’s Best Corporate Citizens list.
Watch Colman and other Hasbro employees discuss volunteering, storytelling and more at Hasbro Stories, http://bit.ly/2j5rJ2a