PPAI Expo Daily - Tuesday - 2016

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PPAIEXPO DAILY™ January 12, 2016
EXTRA PRODUCTS AND SAMPLES CAN TURN A CHILD’S LIFE AROUND
By Tina Berres Filipski
How difficult would it be to get
through the day without your laptop,
iPad or smartphone? Kids and
teachers in underprivileged schools
across the U.S. are challenged every
day to get by without the proper tools:
pens, pencils, paper, rulers, erasers or
even a backpack.
These classroom essentials are
often not affordable for parents when
they have to choose between putting
food on the table and purchasing
school supplies. The Kids In Need
Foundation is working to change that.
Since 1995, this charitable
foundation works to ensure that
every child is prepared to learn and
succeed by providing free school
supplies nationally to students most in
need. To do that, they need help from
companies like those who attend and
exhibit at The PPAI Expo.
Volunteers from the Kids In
Need Foundation will be at the PPAI
Expo this week preparing to collect
products and samples after the show
closes on Thursday at 3 pm. The
products collected at the show are
delivered directly to resource centers
across the U.S. where teachers from
underprivileged schools can go to pick
up free supplies for their students.
All kinds of promotional products
are gladly accepted, from pens,
markers and t-shirts to plush toys,
awards and other recognition items,
drinkware, magnets, buttons, ribbons,
stickers, bags, clocks and watches,
desk and office products, electronics,
calendars, games, toys and business
accessories. The charity will also
accept shelving and exhibit materials
from the booths themselves.
At last year’s show, 53 exhibiting
suppliers donated their extra samples
representing a total retail value of more
than $31,000. This year’s goal is to
beat that total by at least 20 percent.
Mary Banghart, store manager at
the organization’s Las Vegas-based
partner, Teacher EXCHANGE®, has
worked the PPAI Expo for the past
several years and is encouraged by
the support she’s seen. “The Teacher
EXCHANGE loves the PPAI show and
we are recognized by many, many of
the exhibitors every year,” she says.
“They all believe in the Kids In Need
Foundation and I find that many of
these exhibitors participate annually.
We appreciate PPAI promoting this
program.”
In addition to collecting products
from show exhibitors, the Kids In Need
Foundation accepts products and cash
donations year around (see box).
For assistance with product
donations at the Expo, email Tina
Filipski at . n
EASY AS
1-2-3
1
Fill out the form
delivered to your
booth or pick one
up at the Kids In
Need tables at
the main show
entrances and
exchange the
form for labels.
2
Attach the labels
to products to
be donated.
3
Leave it for collection
after 3 pm on
Thurs., January 14.
Got Unwanted
Showroom Samples?
It’s easy for distributors to
participate: The Kids In Need
Foundation accepts products and
monetary donations all year long.
Next time you clean out your sample
closet or update your showroom,
donate your unwanted items to Kids
In Need. Find information and a
donation form at
®