PBS KIDS Partners with Whole Foods Market To Launch New Sustainable, Non-Toxic Toys is Holiday Season

PlanToys to be sold in all Whole Foods Market stores; proceeds will benefit PBS KIDS

Arlington, Va., Nov. 5, 2015 - This holiday season, PBS KIDS has partnered with Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) to offer PlanToys , a new line of sustainable, safe and educational toys. Beginning this week, shoppers can find the PBS KIDS holiday toy collection, including PlanToys , at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide. All toys cost less than $30.

PlanToys uses every piece of wood-down to the shavings on the factory floor-from rubber trees that are felled past their prime. These wooden toys are assembled using certified formaldehyde-free E-zero glue in place of traditional wood glue, and do not use chemical dyes containing lead or other heavy metals. Additionally, PlanToys sources all materials within a 40-mile radius of its factory, which runs on bioenergy.

One-hundred percent of net proceeds from the purchase of the toys in this holiday partnership will support PBS KIDS' mission to empower children to succeed in school and in life. Additionally, Whole Foods Market will donate 1 percent of total sales, up to $25,000, to Whole Kids Foundation , an organization dedicated to improving children's wellness and nutrition.

Our partnership with Whole Foods Market allows us to provide families a diverse array of resources that foster play, which is essential to a child's learning and healthy development, said Lesli Rotenberg, general manager of Children's Media at PBS. Along with PlanToys , PBS KIDS is proud to offer holiday gift-givers a meaningful toy option that is safe, educational and fun.

Appropriate for children ages 1 to 5, this year's collection features a variety of classic wooden toys that encourage active play, including a camera with a kaleidoscope lens, colorful bath and water-play boats, fruit-shaped musical instruments, moving animal pull-toys and mini golf and ring toss game sets.

Working with PBS KIDS allows us to focus on our shared brand values of supporting education and child development, said Jeanne Tamayo, global lifestyle buyer at Whole Foods Market. We're so proud to carry PlanToys this holiday season-their modern-classic designs are unique and beautiful. Most important, their production standards are incredible. These toys are made in a way that is good for the environment - that's great for the kids who get to play with them and for the people making them.

In addition to finding the new line of PBS KIDS toys at Whole Foods Markets nationwide, holiday shoppers can purchase products online at shop.pbskids.org.

About PBS KIDS

PBS KIDS, the number one educational media brand for kids, offers all children the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television, digital platforms and community-based programs. Kidscreen- and Webby-award winning pbskids.org provides engaging interactive content, including digital games and streaming video. PBS KIDS also offers mobile apps to help support young children's learning. The PBS KIDS Video App is available on a variety of mobile devices and on platforms such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Xbox One and Chromecast. For more information on specific PBS KIDS content supporting literacy, science, math and more, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter and Facebook.

About Whole Foods Market

Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com, NASDAQ: WFM) is the leading natural and organic food retailer. As America's first national certified organic grocer, Whole Foods Market was named America's Healthiest Grocery Store by Health magazine. The company's motto, Whole Foods, Whole People, Whole Planet , captures its mission to ensure customer satisfaction and health, Team Member excellence and happiness, enhanced shareholder value, community support and environmental improvement. Thanks to the company's more than 88,000 team members, Whole Foods Market has been ranked one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America by FORTUNE magazine for 18 consecutive years. In fiscal year 2014, the company had sales of more than $14 billion and currently has more than 430 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. For more company news and information, please visit media.wfm.com.

Contacts

Lubna Abuulbah, PBS; 703.739.8463; labuulbah@pbs.org

Caitlin Melnick, 360PR; 617.585.5755; cmelnick@360pr.com

Emily Wright, Whole Foods Market; 512.542.3725; Emily.wright@wholefoods.com

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LINK:	http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/pbs-kids-partners-with-whole-foods...
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