Gift for Life Launches National “Change for Life” Initiative
—Leading suppliers to make donation for each order placed at upcoming markets—
May 26, 2010—Gift for Life, the gift, stationery and home décor industries' sole charitable organization, today announced an exciting new fundraising initiative: Change for Life. This unique national donation program begins with a select group of twelve industry-leading companies setting aside a pre-determined, per-order amount to Gift for Life for each order placed at major trade events across the United States for the remainder of 2010. Change for Life will kick off in Dallas in June and will continue through October in High Point.
The program was initiated by Gift For Life in connection with industry icon Randy Eller’s summer 2010 receipt of Gift for Life’s Industry Achievement Award. “Creating a new national program not only helps Gift for Life but unifies the industry for a single important cause,” said Eller. “When we contacted a select group of leading companies they were quick to embrace the idea.”
Currently 12 companies serve as founding partners:
- Alexa’s Angels
- Appleman Schauben
- CR Gibson
- Evergreen
- Global Views
- IMAX
- Lazy Susan
- Lindsey Phillips
- Mudpie
- OneCoast
- Two’s Company
- Uttermost
“This is a meaningful partnership for all of us,” said John Keiser, CEO of OneCoast. “As we service tens of thousands of customers we can offer an efficient way to support a worthy cause. It’s business with heart.”
“These generous companies recognize that commerce and charity can work together and in turn create a better world,” said Jenny Hammons, chair of the Gift for Life board. “We are thrilled to have strong partners as we launch this nationwide program.”
Following the 2010 launch, Change for Life will be broadly rolled-out across the industry and additional companies will be invited to participate. For information, contact Stu Teller of Right Angle Strategies, at stu@rightanglestrategies.com.
Gift for Life presents its annual Industry Achievement Award each August as part of the Gifts & Decorative Accessories Retailer Excellence Awards. In addition, Gift for Life hosts regional events throughout the United States and a national fundraiser each winter in New York City during the New York International Gift Fair®. Funds benefit DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS. For additional information please visit www.giftforlife.org.
ABOUT GIFT FOR LIFE
Gift for Life, the gift and home décor industry’s volunteer group raising funds for AIDS assistance and research through DIFFA: Design Industry Foundation Fighting AIDS, was founded in 1992. Since then, Gift for Life has raised nearly $4 million through special events, cause-related marketing, promotions, and from corporate and individual donations. Information is available at www.giftforlife.org.
ABOUT DIFFA
DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS is one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide more than $38 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide. Information is available at www.diffa.org
