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Let the holiday season be a teaching moment for littles ones, and a time for giving with a gift of Kiki or Tembo from The Elephant Project. A passion project launched by product developer Kristina McKean, these stuffed animals raise funds for elephants while also fostering awareness of their mistreatment in various parts of the world. All net proceeds go to agencies with well-established programs for the care of orphaned, abused and injured elephants.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. and LOS ANGELES, Aug. 05, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Elephant Project, a California-based organization that’s helped save over 300 elephants worldwide and educated children about the threats to these majestic creatures, will sponsor #ElephantProjectWalk, a COVID-safe, digital event on World Elephant Day, August 12, to raise funds and increase awareness about the plight of elephants.
In partnership with the social impact platform and app Cluster, The Elephant Project is encouraging people to donate, share their participation on social media and walk or run one mile with family and friends, wherever they are, on the 10th Annual World Elephant Day, a day dedicated to helping conserve and protect elephants. All funds from #ElephantProjectWalk will be donated to Trunks Up, a nonprofit organization helping critically endangered Asian elephants.
In advance of World Elephant Day, The Elephant Project and Cluster also helped launch an education campaign and video, entitled “Don’t F***ing Ride Elephants,” to promote teen awareness about elephant abuse.
“In the name of entertainment, elephants around the world are subjected to beatings, starvation and the use of bull hooks and crush boxes to break their spirits,” said Kristina McKean, The Elephant Project’s founder. “By donating to their protection and walking in solidarity with the elephants on World Elephant Day, we can demonstrate our determination to end this torture.”
McKean first witnessed this abuse during a trip to Thailand and returned to the U.S. determined to help save elephants. The Santa Barbara native founded The Elephant Project in 2017 and developed two plush elephant toys, named Kiki and Tembo (Swahili for “new life” and “elephant”). She donates 100% of net proceeds from their sale to organizations that fight poaching and provide care to injured, abused and abandoned elephants. Kiki and Tembo also come with educational materials that inform children and their parents about the importance of protecting elephants.
To purchase Kiki and Tembo, click here. To donate directly, click here.
To participate in #ElephantProjectWalk:
Register at https://clusterforchange.com/ or download the Cluster Social Impact Platform to sign up.
Walk in your community or join in-person events in Los Angeles’ Runyon Canyon or Santa Barbara.
Win prizes, including an elephant sponsored in the winner’s name, Trunks Up merchandise and Kiki and Tembo toys, by registering the largest team.
Photos of McKean, Kiki, Tembo and educational materials available here.
About The Elephant Project
Founded in 2017 by Kristina McKean, The Elephant Project is a California-based organization that donates 100% of its net proceeds to helping save elephants worldwide and educating children and their parents about the threats to these majestic creatures. Through its partners, which include the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Elephant Nature Park, The Elephant Project has helped rescue and protect over 300 elephants.
Media Contact:
Ryan Walker
310-529-3214
ryan@mecoy.net
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f64d6bf0-839d-4ece-897e-63b5b6730c25
Kristina McKean, Kiki and TemboPictured Here: Kristina McKean With Kiki and Tembo plush toys
Thursday marks World Elephant Day, sparking numerous efforts in support of the magnificent creatures.
Originally created Aug. 12, 2012 by Canadian film director and writer Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand, the day aims to drum up support for elephant conservation and the ethical tourism of elephants.
To mark the day, Moving Giants has partnered with World Elephant Day 2021. Moving Giants is responsible for the rewilding effort that is relocating 200 elephants from South Africa to more sustainable areas of Mozambique.
The United Nations is also participating through its United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, utilizing social media to highlight the depleting numbers of elephants worldwide and encourage conservation efforts. The current elephant population is estimated to be about 444,000.
In the United States, California-based The Elephant Project hosted a digital event, as well as two in-person events in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara.
Called the Elephant Project Walk, people were encouraged to walk wherever they may be, as well as donate and share their impacts via social media to raise awareness and funds toward educating people on elephant conservation and the abusive practices elephants in captivity face.
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“In the name of entertainment, elephants around the world are subjected to beatings, starvation and the use of bull hooks and crush boxes to break their spirits,” Kristina McKean, The Elephant Project’s founder, said in a press release. “By donating to their protection and walking in solidarity with the elephants on World Elephant Day, we can demonstrate our determination to end this torture.”
All proceeds from the event are to be donated to Trunks Up, a nonprofit organization that aids the critically endangered Asian elephant.
Kristina McKean has funneled her lifetime passion for helping animals into a full-time profession by creating The Elephant Project. McKean had always felt drawn to animals and their related causes but it wasn’t until her honeymoon to Thailand with her husband, Aaron, about 20 years ago when the harsh reality of elephants’ living conditions became more visceral. She was watching their treatment at one of the tourist attractions and became overwhelmed by the scene. “I saw all these baby elephants that they had taken from their mothers,” says the Montecito mom of two, Paloma and Penelope. “You could ride them or you could pay to get your picture with them. That moment for me – I couldn’t handle it. I was so upset about it. When my girls were younger, I decided I really needed to do something to help them.”
McKean wanted to find a way to help the elephants and stop the cruel practices the travel industry supports, which includes conditioning baby elephants in a “crush box” – literally designed to crush their spirit. She notes that almost all elephants used in entertainment go through this treatment. “Sadly, despite their status and heritage, many factors have led to a huge decline in the numbers of elephants in Thailand today,” she says. “It is estimated that the country now only has around 4,000 elephants compared with some 100,000 in the middle of the 1800s. Thailand has approximately 3,800 elephants in captivity, mostly in the tourism industry. Many live monotonous lives marked by suffering.” She also notes that in Africa, ivory poaching has killed 100,000 African elephants in just three years. With the animals facing danger and cruelty, both in captivity and the wild, McKean felt compelled to help elephants around the world.
Before the days of social media when it was harder to organize and communicate with like-minded people, McKean began protesting the appalling conditions of elephants’ treatment at circuses. “They are tortured with bull hooks – it’s horrific. I think if people knew of the abuse, they would never ride elephants or go to circuses,” she says. “Plus, it’s so important to teach our children about ethical travel. Whether you are an elephant lover or not, we need them for our ecosystem – they are essential to mankind.” Through her protesting of circuses, she met others who believed in the cause. At the time, she was also involved with getting petitions signed for different causes but thought it wasn’t enough.
In 2014, McKean rescued a German Shepherd from a high-kill shelter in Los Angeles. “There are so many dogs in shelters, but I felt like I had to rescue him, and his rescue really propelled the start of The Elephant Project,” she says. The woman who helped her find a home for the dog mentioned she had a talent and should do more. “I couldn’t go work and help save the elephants at sanctuaries, but at least I could do something from here – and it’s something I know how to do,” she says. As she considered her professional background, the idea for The Elephant Project took root. McKean was born in Minnesota but moved to California in the 1990s to attend the University of San Diego to study international relations and Spanish. After college, she worked in product development for Gap Inc., and her mother had worked at Tonka Toys. In 2000, McKean and her husband moved to Montecito. One day, McKean was looking at her daughters’ stuffed animals when the idea came to her to design a plushie so the proceeds could go to support gentle giants. It was then that she realized she had the insight necessary to bring her idea to reality and began creating the concept for the toys. The Elephant Project was founded in 2017 and since then it has been well received. It sells two stuffed animals, Kiki and Tembo, and 100 percent of the proceeds support elephant sanctuaries around the world.
Two years ago, she wanted to bring the documentary Love & Bananas: An Elephant Story to the Marjorie Luke Theatre, and her willing effort paid off – the community and local media quickly got behind supporting the event. She says, “I only had a little bit of time to get people to rally around it, and so many people helped me – 99.9 KTYD, the news – we sold out the theater.” The screening was not only an opportunity to educate the public on the brutal conditions elephants face, but to tell the inspiring story of one woman, Sangduen “Lek” Chailert, and her heroic efforts to change these practices and provide sanctuary at her Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. Today, McKean continues to work with Chailert, who was featured as one of Time magazine’s Heroes of Asia in 2005. “We are so grateful for the passionate support of The Elephant Project,” says Chailert. “Kristina is a wonderful voice for us, helping to change the minds of how we treat the gentle ones – one Kiki and Tembo at a time.”
Since the beginning, The Elephant Project has been able to help support more than a dozen elephants and several sanctuaries. McKean also works with the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust – a nonprofit that operates helicopters and patrols to stop poachers and trophy hunters in Africa – as well as The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, which focuses on helping former zoo and circus elephants here in the United States. “I work with so many different organizations. I am also trying to expand a bit. There are so many elephants in need, I’d like to produce another plushie,” McKean says, noting it can take anywhere from $30,000 to $100,000 to rescue an elephant depending on its age and location.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about challenges for the elephants as well since places such as Thailand have faced sharp drops in tourism, which supported the elephant attractions. “It’s been a challenge because of COVID – I can’t be out there. I feel like once people hear my story they really want to help to make a difference.” While McKean does not want to support the industries in any way, the lost revenue from the drop in tourism means that many of these elephants are now starving and chained in cages. She feels that once people are made aware of these problems, they want to do something to help. Fortunately, Kiki and Tembo offer this chance. She says, “Especially during this year, when there are so many sad stories, I think people love a good story.”
McKean acknowledges there are many other animals that also need help. She wants to do something for big cats such as lions and tigers, which face terrible conditions both in captivity and the wild, where poaching, trophy hunting, and habitat loss have endangered different feline species and have threatened the ecosystem in which these apex predators play a key role. McKean is releasing a new stuffed animal this summer to benefit these majestic beasts. “It’s a lion, but it looks like they’re all in the same family,” she says, also mentioning that she is always open to new ideas for other animals and suggestions. Currently, Kiki and Tembo can be found locally at Diani Boutique or online at the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust and Gifts for Good, and of course at The Elephant Project’s online shop, which also offers original lion prints by local artist Pedro de la Cruz with 100 percent of the net proceeds going toward big cat rescue organizations. As McKean says, “If you’re going to buy a gift, why wouldn’t you buy a gift that at least gives back, or at least helps elephants?”
Three years ago, Kristina McKean was visiting Thailand with her husband on vacation. She witnessed elephants being put into "crush boxes" where they are shackled and tortured in order to literally break their spirit so that they can be tamed for commercial use - like elephant rides or circus use. When she returned home, Kristina was compelled to do something so she started the Elephant Project, designing and selling two plush elephants named Kiki and Tembo to raise funds and awareness.
100% of the net proceeds from all sales goes to organizations that help aid in fighting the poaching crisis and also provide care to injured, abandoned, orphaned, and abused elephants.
In this episode, we not only discuss Kristina's story, but we also delve into how you go from feeling the need to make change to transforming that feeling into action.
These stylish picks prove that giving back never looked so good.
The holidays are a time of giving. In that spirit, many people opt for gifts that benefit a charity. But when you say “charitable gifts,” some people imagine burlap sacks, cheesy totes or mugs that end up buried in the back of the cupboard. In short: all too often, gifts that do good don’t always look good.
But you don’t need to sacrifice style to give back. Good Housekeeping Style Director Lori Bergamotto stopped by TODAY to share her top finds for charitable gifts that look so good they’d be tempting even if they didn’t benefit a worthwhile organization.
Scroll down to discover Bergamotto’s picks — perfect for kids, adults and everyone in between.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s 2020 Gift Guide to find the perfect present for everyone on your list!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year—gift guide time! We’re going to go ahead and give 2020 the No, Thank You Award, but we can still try to make the holidays merry and bright. And to help you do that, we bring you the 4th installment of Jen’s Favorite Things! Every year, we shine a spotlight on brands we love that also give back, so we do the most good with the dollars we’re already going to spend (and PS: so many of these companies are women-owned!). So grab a cup of cocoa while Jen and her sisters, Lindsay and Cortney, share 12 incredible companies with amazing products—everything from coffee and candles to comfy robes and socks and Jen’s signature feather earrings. Plus, each brand has a special offer just for you, so you can stock up on great gifts and also *save some cash.* Look alive, campers, it’s time to do some Christmas shopping!
The Elephant Project is currently working to help animals affected by the temporary closure of nature parks and trekking camps in Thailand due to the coronavirus pandemic
A trip to Thailand turned into a whole new life of Kristina McKean.
After witnessing the neglect some elephants endured during her trip to Thailand, McKean decided to put her product development and design skills to work for the animals.
Shortly after she returned home from her Thailand trip, McKean started The Elephant Project a charity effort that uses adorable stuffed animal elephants to help their real-life inspirations.
The cuddly creations are called Kiki and Tembo, and 100% of the proceeds from the sales of this darling duo go directly “to several highly respected agencies that care for orphaned, abused and injured elephants,” according to The Elephant project.
“The organizations we partner with have well-established programs and on-the ground-experience which ensure that every purchase made will directly benefit elephants,” The Elephant Project added.
The Elephant Nature Park in Thailand and The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Kenya are two of the organizations that The Elephant Project sends their proceeds to. Currently, the project is specifically focused on helping The Elephant Nature Park raise funds for the elephants of Thailand, many of whom live in trekking camps that depend on tourism.
“The Thai government has forced the trekking camps of Thailand to close,” The Elephant Project said of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic’s effect on elephants. “This leaves many elephants in Thailand without work and revenue for their owners to feed them. There are over 1000 elephants now chained up 24 hours a day facing the potential of starvation. The elephants are showing severe signs of stress and there are limited resources.”
The Elephant Nature Park, which is also temporarily closed, is putting aside their ethical disagreements with trekking camps to help feed the innocent elephants under the camps’ care.
To learn more about how The Elephant Project is supporting these efforts and helping elephants all around the world, visit their website, where you can also purchase a Kiki or Tembo plush — 100% of proceeds from each go to helping real elephants.
Additionally, the Elephant Nature Park has started a fundraiser to help care for their animals and the other elephants of Thailand during the coronavirus pandemic.
As information about the coronavirus pandemic rapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from CDC, WHO, and local public health departments. To help provide doctors and nurses on the front lines with life-saving medical resources, donate to Direct Relief here.
This huggable elephant helps protect elephants in the wild throughThe Sheldrick Wildlife Trust
You can now also find us in Diani Boutique and Gifts for Good.
