The Michigan Promotional Professionals Association (MiPPA) has donated $9,300 in cash, duffels and luggage to Bethany Christian Services, a charity that assists in placing and supporting children in the foster care system. The charity had identified a need to help the children carry their belongings, as many need to move to new homes on short notice and are typically given black garbage bags to carry their things.
Paul Zafarana, MAS, a MIPPA past president and organizer; Paul Kiewiet, MAS+, MiPPA executive director, and Mary Jo Tomasini, MAS+, event organizer, delivered the donations. Receiving the check and donations were Joel Bell, branch director; Jennifer Stiller, foster care supervisor, and Wendy Wilcox, office manager of the charity’s Benton Harbor, Michigan, office.
Donations from industry suppliers included 100 Track Sport Bags from Gemline which also donated a four-piece American Tourister luggage set and a 21-inch Samsonite Spinner Bag; BIC Graphic North America donated 46 large duffel bags, STORMTECH Performance Apparel donated 100 large duffel bags and alphabroder provided 44 of its Liberty duffel bags. Goldstar donated 500 luggage tags with motivational imprints. Distributor CE Competitive Edge, LLC provided warehousing and delivery of the donations.