Other LanguagesSeattle - Sept. 28, 2000 - As part of its settlement with Toys "R" Us and three toy manufacturers – Hasbro, Mattel and Little Tikes – the Attorney General’s office has awarded nearly $275,000 in grants to programs that benefit children throughout Washington state.
The grants were awarded to 27 different programs by a panel appointed by Attorney General Christine Gregoire. The grant amounts range from $5,000 to $25,000.
The money comes from the court-approved settlement earlier this year of an antitrust case brought by Washington and 42 other states against Toys "R" Us and the toy makers. The states alleged that the retailer and manufacturers violated antitrust laws by agreeing to cut off supplies of popular toys to warehouse clubs that sold the toys at prices lower than those at Toys "R" Us.
"By settling this action, the state of Washington won a major victory for consumers," Gregoire said. "The restitution obtained on behalf of consumers will benefit many Washington children."
Gregoire praised the work of the Grant Selection Committee, which included a legislator, a Superior Court judge, an education expert, and representatives of the state Department of Social and Health Services, non-profit organizations, the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Guardian Ad Litem program.
Committee members sorted through nearly 300 grant applications to identify programs most deserving of support.
Grants went to organizations as small as the Columbia Valley Gardens Elementary School in Longview, which received $1,500 for a library for visually impaired students, to one as large as Catholic Community Services, which received $25,000 for books, toys and art supplies.
(Click here for a full listing of grant recipients, their programs, and the grant amounts.)
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