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Hape Makes the World a Family Education, Sustainability and Responsibilty are Key Multi-award winning Hape began in 1986 as Hape GmbH, which sold educational wooden toys directly into German kindergartens. Founded by Peter Handstein, Hape has always had a mission to create beautiful and engaging toys with minimal impact on the environment and with maximum benefit to its workers. In 2004, they were the first toy company to begin manufacturing an eco-friendly line of toys made from sustainable bamboo.As part of its mission to become one of the top toy companies in the world and to lead the marketplace in innovation and sustainability, Hape (pronounced “hah-pay”) acquired Educo, located near Edmonton, Canada, in 2004. Today the Hape range of 300+ products can be found in more than fifty countries around the world through its network of specialty retailer and school supply stores and catalogs, and the company staff of more than 900 employees. No matter how large the company grows, Peter is also committed to ensuring that everyone who works for him has benefits and becomes a member of their extended family. “Wherever we operate, all of our employees share in a benefit program that offers time off for illness, a pension and unemployment insurance,” states the company’s website (www.hapetoys.com).  Hape has also built three schools in Xingren, within the Gùizhōu province (one of the least developed areas of China), approximately 1,500 miles west of company headquarters in Ningbo: Maria Hope in 2003 (in honor of Peter’s grandmother, Maria Handstein), a Second Class in 2008 and in January 2012, they opened the Yuzhang Central Kindergarten. The first two schools currently provide education for 500 children from five to ten years old. The new kindergarten will service 180 children to start, but should expand its roster to include 300 children within a month. The company also provides scholarships for gifted children both within their schools and in other schools as well.The company has held opening ceremonies for all of its schools, which allowed the community to celebrate with performances by local children, firework displays, and tributes by local and national government officials. The new kindergarten also received a shipment of more than $20,000 worth of Hape’s educational toys to start its school year on a playful note. “It is impossible not to be impressed by the enthusiasm of these children, as well as their eagerness to learn,” said Peter. “Prior to construction of the new schools, many of them walked up to three hours a day – through astonishingly rugged terrain – to attend classes. It is my hope that our company’s contributions and support will provide the communities with a more rewarding learning experience, and help prepare them for the future.” Hape’s charitable efforts are not limited to education, however. In 2010, they donated $45,000 worth of toys to schools in the Si Chuan region, which had been devastated by an earthquake the year before. Peter and a delegation from the Beilun Government delivered the toys in person to the province, where they were able to witness the challenges the recovering area faces.  In addition to creating eco-friendly toys built from sustainable materials, such as bamboo and wood, the Hape factory is also designed to have a minimal impact on local ecology. It maintains strict quality control and purifies water that is used in the manufacturing process.The company has also expanded its role in China from production to marketing: in 2009, they established Hape Shanghai to service the growing affluent population there. This year, in addition to opening the kindergarten in China, Hape will be giving away 100 high-quality educational toys through TDmonthly’s “2012: A Year of Charity” program, in which specialty retailers will compete for a chance to donate the toys through their stores to local children’s charities. “The TDmonthly Year of Charity Program is a perfect fit for our ideals,” stressed Robin Lehnert, Marketing Manager for Hape. Other companies who have already signed up to participate in this landmark event are Safari Ltd.®, Schoenhut Piano Company, and MagicForest Ltd. To have the chance to be one of the winning retailers, please email to following information to alison@toydirectory.com: 1. Your name 2. Store’s name, address and phone 3. Year founded 4. Local children’s charities you currently work with 5. Number of events you have per year in store 6. How many of those events are covered by local press? 7. Why do you want to be one of the retailers selected to give away 100 top-quality specialty toys to your local children’s charities? Below, you can see the products Hape and the other companies will be donating:
Schoenhut ® Piano Company: "Leader in the World of Toy Pianos since 1872" Schoenhut’s® bright red, 18-key tabletop is the perfect choice for a toddlers first piano. Both fun and educational, it is an ideal instrument to use for developing eye-hand coordination and encouraging musical creativity. Chromatically tuned, the lovely chime-like notes are produced by little hammers striking precision-ground, German steel music rods (versus the conventional taut wires used in full-sized models). Schoenhut’s® patented Learning System, with its play-by-color teaching method, makes playing simple and fun. A removable color strip fits behind the keys to guide small fingers from chord to chord. The chart also works on adult keyboards, since keys on Schoenhut® toy pianos are of corresponding width. This teaches children proper "finger stretch" from the very beginning. The accompanying Songbook contains a collection of familiar tunes. This Learning System has been specially designed to build a child’s confidence and develop basic playing skills. Imported / Materials: hardwood and hardboard / Recommended age: Three and up Piano: 11-1/4" high x 9-3/8" wide x 12-3/8" deep
 Writer's Bio: ALISON MAREK is an award-winning writer, director and cartoonist whose work has been published by Fairchild Publications and DC Comics (Piranha Press), broadcast on Showtime and other cable networks, and viewed worldwide in film festivals. See her short films and print work on www.alisonmarek.com. Watch her nefarious villains in the web series www.MuggsMovers.com. Get inspired by her cartoons "Daily ARFFirmations to Unleash Your Inner Fido" at www.ARFFirmations.com. Phew! And then ... Read more articles by this author |
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