Litzky Public Relations, a New Jersey-based agency that specializes in family-friendly consumer brands, announced a grant program to assist companies with a mission to better the lives of children and families.
LOVE, Litzky — an acronym — for Lifting Outstanding Voices and Endeavors — has found its inaugural recipient in PunkinFutz, a designer and manufacturer of sensory products that make play accessible to all children.
“Throughout 2020 we helped our clients pivot into important, relevant conversations, and asked ourselves where we as an agency could fit in as well,” said LPR President Josslynne Welch. “As we thought about opportunities to ‘pay it forward’ in a meaningful way, we recognized the importance of inclusivity on many different levels, among them children and play.”
Developed to support small businesses and entrepreneurs, the grant will spotlight a specific and timely issue each year.
“During our more than 30 years as a small business working in the children’s consumer products industry, we’ve been on the receiving end of many acts of kindness,” Welch said. “With LOVE, Litzky we give back to the business community that has supported us and provide our employees an opportunity to get involved when many of us are looking to take action.”
LOVE, Litzky will provide PunkinFutz with a PR campaign strategy to launch its Sesame Street collection and $25,000 in professional fees to execute it. The strategic communications plan targets trade and consumer media and social influencers across a variety of platforms. A dedicated account team will execute the plan over a three-month period.
PunkinFutz is an inclusive play company and adaptive employer that designs and develops play products and accessories for children with a broad range of physical, sensory, developmental, and emotional needs. This year, the company teamed up with nonprofit Sesame Workshop to incorporate the characters from Sesame Street into a collection of items for children of all ages and abilities. The line will debut this July.
“Teaming up with Sesame Workshop is a huge opportunity for PunkinFutz but 2020 was a challenging year for us and we were lacking resources to maximize the launch,” said PunkinFutz founder and CEO Lisa Radcliffe. “LOVE, Litzky will provide us with the PR support we need to make a big splash and bring our brand mainstream. We’re both thrilled and grateful to be the inaugural recipient of this game-changing grant program.”
LPR selected the company as the 2021 grant recipient for its commitment to ensuring that all kids can enjoy the developmental advantages of inclusion, imagination, and child-led play.
“PunkinFutz has been on our radar for years and we’ve been inspired by Lisa Radcliffe and her team,” Welch said. “Not only does PunkinFutz make play inclusive through their product offerings, they support their community through job creation and are committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility. We are proud to partner with PunkinFutz as we launch LOVE, Litzky.”