World’s Finest Chocolate Expands “Let Them Reign” Campaign into Women’s College Basketball With Indiana Univ.’s Malia Samuels

Former Youth Seller Becomes Brand’s First Female NIL Partner, Highlighting How Fundraising Can Create Opportunities On and Off the Court

CHICAGO, IL (OCTOBER 20, 2026) - World’s Finest Chocolate, the iconic fundraising brand that has helped schools and youth organizations raise billions of dollars for generations, today announced a new Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) partnership with Indiana University guard Malia Samuels. The partnership expands the brand’s “Let Them Reign” campaign into women’s college basketball and marks Samuels as World’s Finest Chocolate’s first female collegiate NIL partner.

Long before playing college basketball, Samuels was a World’s Finest Chocolate fundraiser herself. From third through fifth grade, she sold chocolate to fund travel basketball opportunities that allowed her to compete and keep pursuing the sport she loved. Samuels was naturally shy as a child, and fundraising gave her an early opportunity to become more comfortable speaking with others. Over time, the experience helped her build confidence and strengthen her communication skills. Now, after three collegiate seasons at USC and a transfer to Indiana ahead of the 2026-27 season, the Seattle native is returning to World’s Finest Chocolate as its latest “Reign Maker,” using her full-circle story to inspire the next generation of young fundraisers.

“‘Let Them Reign’ was created to celebrate the ambition behind fundraising and the experiences it can help make possible,” said Eddie Opler, CEO of World’s Finest Chocolate. “Having Malia join us as our first female NIL partner marks an important chapter for the campaign. We’re proud to have her represent what can happen when determination, opportunity, and support come together.”

Samuels’ addition brings a new perspective to “Let Them Reign,” spotlighting the experiences of girls in youth sports and the role fundraising can play in helping support participation, travel, and competition.

“Selling World’s Finest Chocolate helped make some of my earliest basketball experiences possible, long before I knew how far the sport would take me,” said Malia Samuels. “Now, getting to partner with the same brand as a college athlete makes this incredibly meaningful. I hope young girls see that the things they’re working toward today can become part of a much bigger story.”

The “Let Them Reign” campaign celebrates fundraising as more than a way to reach a financial goal. Through partnerships with collegiate athletes and stories of young “Reign Makers” across the country, World’s Finest Chocolate is highlighting how fundraising can help kids build confidence, communication skills, resilience, and entrepreneurial thinking while gaining access to experiences that matter to them.

The campaign also comes as World’s Finest Chocolate continues to modernize the fundraising experience. WFCentral, the company’s new digital fundraising platform, gives organizers and families a simpler way to track progress, manage campaigns, and stay connected throughout the fundraising process.

To learn more about World’s Finest Chocolate and the “Let Them Reign” campaign, or to start a fundraiser for a school, team, club, or community organization, visit worldsfinestchocolate.com.

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About World’s Finest Chocolate

World’s Finest Chocolate is a leading chocolate fundraising company helping schools, sports teams, clubs, and community organizations raise money through simple, proven fundraising programs. Since entering the fundraising industry in 1949, the company has helped millions of schools and groups raise nearly $5 billion to support school trips, team sports, playgrounds, classroom resources, and other meaningful experiences. World’s Finest Chocolate combines premium chocolate, dedicated fundraising support, and digital tools with an earning-meets-learning approach that helps young sellers build confidence and life-ready skills while funding what matters most.