The LEGO Group announces $1.3 million in grants to bring more opportunities for play to kids across Greater Richmond region

• $1.3 million in grants awarded to eight local organizations to provide children and families with playful learnings opportunities. This brings total grants to $3.5 million since 2022.
• Grants extend support for six nonprofit organizations as well as Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Girls For A Change.
• More than 1 million children impacted through grantmaking in the region since 2023.
• LEGO® Manufacturing Virginia employees volunteered more than 2,000 service hours in 2025 to deliver playful learnings experiences to children in the region.

VIRGINIA, USA February 19, 2026: The LEGO Group today announced it will continue to support local communities in the Greater Richmond area, committing more than $1.3 million in grants to eight nonprofit organizations in the region, funded by the LEGO Foundation.

The funding extends support for six organizations benefitting from the company’s last funding round while expanding to include two new organizations, Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU and Girls For A Change. Grants are awarded over a two-year period and support learning and development through play for children.

Since 2022, the LEGO Group has provided more than $3.5 million in grants to nonprofits across greater Richmond, positively impacting more than 1 million children. These contributions complement the company’s broader investments in the region, which include creating 1,700+ new jobs in Chesterfield County at LEGO Manufacturing Virginia, a state-of-the-art facility currently under construction, as well as a regional distribution center in nearby Prince George, both on track to open in 2027.

Jesus Ibañez, General Manager of LEGO Manufacturing Virginia, said: “We are proud to support the work of these incredible organizations that help make a difference in children’s lives every day. As we continue to build our factory, we become increasingly rooted in the community, and we’re dedicated to making a positive impact and bringing play to more children in the area.”

The company announced grant support for the following organizations:

• Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond: Funding supports PlayWays and Youth Futures programs, focusing on providing access to playful learning and youth development during after school and summer sessions.
• James River Association: Funding supports increased access to outdoor exploration experiences, imaginative play, and active learning activities to strengthen children’s connection to nature.
• SOAR365: Funding supports access to a number of inclusive play-based learning experiences at PARK365, an award-winning all-abilities playground in the region.
• YMCA of Greater Richmond: Funding supports YMCA LEGO Builders, empowering children across greater Richmond to develop creativity, confidence, and future-ready skills through play.
• Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU: Funding supports the Children's Hospital's child life program, where therapeutic play activities help with decreasing pain, meeting treatment goals, learning new skills and shortening recovery time.
• Girls For A Change: Funding supports bridging the STEAM divide and equipping girls with confidence in their imagination, especially during the vulnerable transition from elementary to middle school.
• Children’s Museum of Richmond: Supported through the LEGO Playful Museum Network, CMoR will deliver Build the Change programs for early childhood audiences, Culture Encounters CultureFest programs, Shalom Farms sustainability sessions, and movement-based workshops that promote joyful, meaningful, active, iterative and social play.
• Science Museum of Virginia: Supported through the LEGO Playful Museum Network, the Science Museum of Virginia will strengthen and expand its Learning Science Through Play training program across teens, community partners, and regional educators.

Building a LEGO Group team that supports community efforts year-round

Today’s announcement builds on the company’s existing support for the local communities, which includes engagement opportunities for its employees in areas where they live and work.

In 2025, more than 300 of the LEGO Group’s Virginia-based employees participated in the company’s community engagement programs. Together, they spent more than 2,000 total hours volunteering in activities related to environmental restoration, youth education in schools, and delivered hands-on experiences in partnership with youth-serving organizations.

About the LEGO Group
The LEGO Group’s mission is to inspire and develop the builders of tomorrow through the power of play. The LEGO System in Play, with its foundation in LEGO bricks, allows children and fans to build and rebuild anything they can imagine.

The LEGO Group was founded in Billund, Denmark in 1932 by Ole Kirk Kristiansen, its name derived from the two Danish words LEg GOdt, which mean “Play Well”.

Today, the LEGO Group remains a family-owned company headquartered in Billund. Its products are now sold in more than 120 countries worldwide.

For more information: www.LEGO.com.

The LEGO Group in the USA
The LEGO Group has had a presence in the USA since its American entity, LEGO Systems Inc., was established in 1973.

The company opened its new US headquarters in Boston, MA and Consumer & Shopper Engagement office in Tempe, AZ in 2025, following more than 50 years operating out of Enfield, CT.

The company currently employs over 3,500 people in the USA.