Wayne, New Jersey-based Toys ‘R’ Us is pairing up with Autism Speaks for the second year in a row to sponsor more than 75 fundraising events across the US.

Toys ‘R’ Us will serve as the national sponsor of the Autism Speaks Walk Now for Autism program, a series of fundraising walks to be held in communities across the country over the next year.

In addition, the retailer and its charitable arm, Toys ‘R’ Us Children’s Fund will conduct a nine-week, in-store fundraising campaign in its 585 US locations to coincide with Autism Awareness Month in April.

To kick off the 2008 partnership, the Children’s Fund has awarded Autism Speaks US$250,000.

Last year, Autism Speaks raised more than US$26 million through its Walk Now for Autism events, and the fundraising campaign held in Toys ‘R’ Us stores raised an additional US$1.1 million to support autism research and advocacy.