Julius Jr. & Blick Art Materials to Collect and Donate Art Supplies for Kids Nationwide

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2, 2014 — (PRNewswire) —   Julius Jr. and Blick Art Materials today announced "Donation for Imagination," a new art supplies drive benefitting kids nationwide. The initiative was established to inspire creativity in kids by providing art supplies to nonprofit organizations, schools and after-school art programs. The drive kicks off today as an official partner of #GivingTuesday, a globally recognized day dedicated to giving back, and runs through December 24, 2014. Supporters of the effort can make donations at conveniently located donation bins at 66 Blick stores nationwide and online through Blick's Art Room Aid website.   

The Julius Jr. "Donation for Imagination" program has transitioned from what began as the Paul Frank Art Supplies Round-Up, the first-ever national art supplies drive for kids, which Saban Brands and Blick Art Materials debuted during the 2012 holiday season. Over the past two years, donations to the drive have topped more than $120,000 in art supplies, benefitting more than 35,000 children.

"For the third year in a row, Saban Brands has partnered with Blick Art Materials to inspire donations of thousands of art supplies across the nation, first with Paul Frank, and now with Julius Jr.'s 'Donation for Imagination'," said Elie Dekel, President of Saban Brands. "We're excited about the evolution of the program as creativity, invention and imagination are all core elements of the Julius Jr. television series, making this a very natural transition and partnership."

Through this partnership with Blick Art Materials, the program encourages Julius Jr. fans and Blick shoppers to donate new and gently used art supplies to local children's art non-profits. In addition to serving as a central donation destination, Blick stores are supporting the effort with a special 20% discount for products purchased as donations. Customers who donate will also receive a thank-you offer good for 20% off their own purchases from Dec. 26 through Dec. 31. Each store will work with either a local children's art non-profit or Blick's national partner, Dreaming Zebra, to distribute donations to their community. Online donations can be made through Blick's Art Room Aid website.

This year's "Donation for Imagination" program debuted Nov. 16 at the P.S. ARTS annual "Express Yourself" event in Los Angeles. The celebrity fundraiser featured fun art activities for families and benefitted P.S. ARTS' award-winning programs that help improve the lives of children through arts education in underserved public schools and communities. The Julius Jr. activation featured a paper playhouse that kids assembled and decorated with art supplies donated by Blick. Celebrity parents including Melissa McCarthy, Jason Bateman, Jordana Brewster and Elizabeth Berkley also stopped by the Julius Jr. booth to join in on the artistic fun and show their support for "Donation for Imagination."

For more information on the "Donation for Imagination" program, visit DickBlick.com and view the "Donation for Imagination" video on the Julius Jr. YouTube channel.

Viewers can catch an all-new Julius Jr. holiday special on Dec. 13 at 1:30 p.m. (ET/PT), only on Nick Jr. For more information on Julius Jr., please visit www.juliusjr.com and follow the series on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube.

About Julius Jr.
Julius Jr. is an animated preschool series based on the creative spirit and lovable characters from the world of Paul Frank. The show follows Julius Jr. and friends who use equal doses of imagination and inventive spirit to help each other overcome challenges big and small – teaching kids that the best inventions are the ones that help your friends. Together, they build a playhouse out of a simple cardboard box, but when they walk inside, to their surprise and delight, they discover that ordinary objects magically come to life and adventures are just a door away. A property of Saban Brands, Julius Jr. airs on Nick Jr. in the U.S. weekdays at 4:30 p.m., Saturdays at 6 a.m. and Sundays at 10 a.m. (ET/PT). Visit www.juliusjr.com for more information.

About Saban Brands
Formed in 2010 as an affiliate of Saban Capital Group, Saban Brands (SB) was established to acquire and develop a world-class portfolio of properties and capitalize on the company's experience, track record and capabilities in growing and monetizing consumer brands through content, media and marketing. SB applies a global omni-channel management approach to enhancing and extending its brands in markets worldwide and to consumers of all ages. The company provides full-service management, marketing, promotion and strategic business development for its intellectual properties including comprehensive strategies unique to each brand, trademark and copyright management and enforcement, creative design, retail development, direct-to-consumer initiatives and specialized property extensions. SB's portfolio of properties currently includes Power Rangers, Paul Frank, Macbeth, Julius Jr., Digimon Fusion and Popples, among many others. For more information, visit www.sabanbrands.com.

About Blick Art Materials
Founded in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1911, Blick Art Materials is one of the largest and oldest providers of art supplies in the United States, with 72 retail stores nationwide. Its products cater to the full spectrum of artists — from the youngest child ready to scribble with his or her first crayon to well known, gallery-represented professionals. The company's extensive selection, competitive prices, and superior customer service make Blick the best choice for art educators, students, artists, architects, designers, hobbyists, or anyone requiring quality art materials for work or pleasure. A long-time advocate of art education in the U.S., Blick also provides support of scholastic, collegiate, and professional art shows, both financially and through a variety of materials that emphasize the benefits of art education. Blick also supports the communities in which it does business by sponsoring in-store events, local schools, art leagues, and community groups across the country. Visit www.dickblick.com for more information.

Media Contacts:
Saban Brands
Becky Coulter
(310) 203-5725
Email Contact

Blick Art Materials
Todd McGill-Rusynyk
224-301-0591
Email Contact

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Julius Jr. Blick Art Materials Web: http://www.juliusjr.com