Cats for a Cause: A ThunderCats-themed Auction Benefits Young Refugees

The ThunderCats once found themselves fleeing their dying planet, forced to seek a new home due to circumstances beyond their control. It’s a heavy theme for a kids’ cartoon! But forced displacement is very real, and it’s one of the greatest challenges facing humanity today: a planet-wide refugee crisis that’s hard to fathom if you live in a more stable part of the world. 

Displaced people, particularly kids, show extraordinary resilience in the face of tremendous trauma and instability. By supporting frontline aid organizations, we can help those kids thrive despite their circumstances. Starting June 19, you can directly support the creativity of young refugees while also celebrating your love of ThunderCats! 

KEPYR (Kids Entertainment Professionals for Young Refugees) recently kicked off their 2026 Kindred Spirits campaign, spotlighting child displacement in Southeastern Africa while raising critical funds for African Youth Artistic Poetry (AYAP), a youth-led poetry and performance collective based in Malawi’s Dzaleka Refugee Camp. The campaign, subtitled “Artists for Artists!”, includes an auction of one-of-a-kind ThunderCats-inspired pieces from renowned animation and comic book artists, plus a few surprise items dating back to the ’80s, running June 19 through June 28.

A Worthy Cause

Founded 10 years ago by Emmy Award-winning animation writer and producer Grant Moran and steered by leading executives and creatives from across the global entertainment industry, KEPYR advocates on behalf of forcibly displaced children, collaborating directly with frontline organizations that support and empower young refugees. AYAP is one such organization.

“Though separated by vastly different circumstances and thousands of miles, there is a profound connection between these young creators and all of us who work in children’s media: a belief in the power of storytelling,” says Moran. “For these children, finding their voices and telling their stories is more than art; it’s a lifeline.”

An All-Star Art Auction

The auction is curated by veteran writer and producer Henry Gilroy. Among this year’s contributors are Dan Brereton (The Nocturnals), Matt Smith (Hellboy, Barbarian Lord), Shawn McManus (The Sandman, Fables), and many others, including ThunderCats writer and character designer Dennis J. Woodyard and  ThunderCats.org team member Nick Carver! If you’ve been coveting Nick’s custom Black Widow Shark action figure, now’s your chance to add her to your collection while supporting a worthy cause.

“I feel lucky to see my Black Widow Shark included in the lineup with all of the incredible artists who are contributing to the auction,” says Nick. “It’s amazing to see that, 40 years later, the ThunderCats are still making such a positive impact.”

Past auction themes have run the gamut from the luchadores of Mexico to Superman to the Mandalorian and Grogu. In a recent episode of the Beyond Thundera podcast, Moran explained the thought behind this year’s choice of ThunderCats:

“Whenever possible, we try to find a theme that has in its backstory the idea of displacement, forced displacement, or refugees,” he said. “The ThunderCats are just perfect for that.” 

Other Ways to Participate

In addition to the auction, Kindred Spirits includes a pair of fundraising events: one in New York on June 19 and one in Los Angeles on June 25. The New York event, at Poets House in Manhattan, will feature live performances by AYAP’s young poets via an immersive video portal, allowing attendees to interact with the artists in real time from half a world away.

“As we enter our second decade, we want to create more moments of genuine human connection,” says Kindred Spirits co-chair Jan Stebbins. “By meeting these extraordinary teen poets in real time, we’re witnessing the same creative spark that drives our own work, used here as a source of resilience, dignity, and hope.”

The Power of Storytelling

Creativity and self-expression empower young people to dream beyond their circumstances. Speaking as a creative professional myself, I know the value of engaging with the arts as kid. I’m a product of my early artistic experiences, and I owe great deal to my exposure to high-quality children’s media like ThunderCats. Those stories had real value, and real impact.

“We cartoon fans know how children’s media can influence the way a child develops a worldview and learns to handle complex life issues,” says Nick, an educator himself. “The ThunderCats are really a perfect fit for KEPYR, not only because of their family structure and backstory, but because of the example they set when facing big challenges.”

Let’s Do It

ThunderCats sparked a worldwide fandom, inspiring and uplifting us when we were young, and Kindred Spirits is an opportunity for fans to give back to the world’s most vulnerable young people while also celebrating the characters and stories that brought us together in the first place. I encourage all of you to learn more about KEPYR’s mission, check out the auctions, and consider donating. If we’re gonna do it, let’s do it!

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