Fresno’s own Elijah DeLaCerda and Eva Longoria Appear on Cover of 2011 Guide

5-YEAR-OLD ELIJAH DE LA CERDA, OF FRESNO, APPEARS ON COVER OF 2011 TOYS“R”US TOY GUIDE FOR DIFFERENTLY-ABLED KIDS® ALONGSIDE ACTRESS AND PHILANTHROPIST EVA LONGORIA

Eva and Elijah!

Toys“R”Us® Launches In-Store and Online Resource to Provide Toy Recommendations to Help Children with Special Needs Build Critical Developmental Skills, Such as Auditory, Fine and Gross Motor, and More

August 29, 2011–This year, Eva Longoria – actress, philanthropist and sister to a woman with special needs – appears on the cover of the Toys“R”Us Toy Guide for Differently-Abled Kids alongside Elijah De La Cerda, a 5-year-old boy with Down Syndrome from Fresno, CA.

The Guide, an easy-to-use resource that helps parents of children with special needs select toys that develop skills through the power of play, is now available at Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores nationwide.

For nearly twenty years, Toys“R”Us has provided parents and gift givers with reliable toy recommendations for children with special needs. Emphasized Elijah’s mom, Jami De La Cerda, “Anyone can go into the store and buy the absolutely correct toy or learning tool for a child with a developmental disability by looking at the guide and the pictures on the guide.” She continued, “It’s especially gratifying to see the philosophy of inclusion that Toys“R”Us embraces for all of our kids.”

The 2011 Guide features 64 pages of toys that help promote essential, confidence-building and learning opportunities for children of all abilities. Color-coded, skill-building icons and a Toy Finder Index help shoppers choose toys that are most appropriate for a child’s specific needs and interests.

The Guide is also available online at Toysrus.com/DifferentlyAbled, where customers can download and browse a digital, “flippable” version in both English and Spanish.

Even before Elijah was born in 2006, his parents had founded Diamond Learning Center in Fresno, a school for special needs individuals. Jami, Elijah’s mom, has also served as a Special Olympics coach for 15 years and was awarded the “Spirit of Philanthropy” award in 2007 for her contribution of time and resources to support the special needs community in Fresno.

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