PPB November 2019

and some non-riding women, who enjoy the camaraderie and participating in charities, namely those serving women and children. The organization, which was founded in Tallahassee, Florida, has grown tomore than 45 national chapters and some 700members, and has raised funds for a long list of charities, like theMAGIC Foundation, St. Jude Children’s ResearchHospital, Pets for Vets, The Backpack Foundation, the Dragonfly Foundation and The Jewish Hospital’s mobilemammogram. At first glance, it may seem that Kilpatrick’s proposition for the “We Plant Trees” program has one, albeit crucial, benefit: helping the supplier, which specializes in paper products, to serve the community. This is true, indeed, but the benefits of corporate giveback for companies are actually twofold. First, there’s the impression it leaves on clients and end users. According to PPAI’s 2019 Consumer Study of 3,000 end users ages 18-78, sustainability is key when selecting products that end users will keep, and 12 percent of all end users will pass on or discard promotional products they know are harmful to the environment. When distributors and end users purchase from suppliers that work with charities like The Book Company, says Kilpatrick, the purchase is a “feel-good” one with “excellent response.” Next, there’s the layer of value that philanthropy yields for the community. Kilpatrick, who resides in Simi Valley, California, has seen the devastating effects of the wildfires. According to the U.S. Forest Service, there have been more than 5,487 fires recorded in California State this year, destroying some 157,923 acres of land. By contributing to the cause, anyone who purchases or receives products manufactured by The Book Company are essentially helping rebuild burnt forestland; a fact that will certainly resonate with end users. PPB spoke with Kilpatrick to learn more about her experience and dedication to philanthropy. PPB Can you tell us about your experience in the promotional products industry? Kilpatrick My 25 years in the industry has been a fabulous journey into the world of dated products and journals, and what a ride it has been. During the earlier part of my career, I was the executive vice president of Castelli North America, where I immersed myself in the world of paper products. I joined The Book Company in 2012 to help spearhead the company’s expansion into journals. In addition to developing our stock line of journals, I helped launch a custom solutions program that partners with distributors and their clients to develop 100-percent custom solutions, produced both domestically and overseas. I have been lucky enough to have earned several top sales awards. I have also served on the Board of Directors for both the Promotional Marketing Association of California and Specialty Advertising Association of California (SAAC), and I was the president of SAAC in 2008. PPB What inspired you to suggest a corporate giving program? Kilpatrick This is something I amvery proud of, and really pleased that Doug Greenhut was able to forma partnership with American Forests. Quoting Doug, “It’s truly impossible to weigh the balance between themajesty of trees and their importance to our ecosystemagainst the immeasurable educational value we gain from reading books and writing in journals.” That’s why the We Plant Trees program to support American Forests’ reforestation programs makes somuch sense. Books, journals, paper and trees are all interconnected. We recognize the impact that the books and journals we sell have on trees and on our environment, so we wanted to take positive action so that future generations can enjoy the benefit of books and journals, too. Where Do The Donations Go? A myriad of industries benefit from charitable organizations. According to the Giving USA Foundation’s annual report on philanthropy, 2018 Giving USA, here was the breakdown in 2017: • 31 percent of all donations, or $127.37 billion, went to religions organizations • 14 percent of all donations, or $58.9 billion, went to education charities • 12 percent of all donations, or $50.06 billion, went to human services charities • 11 percent of all donations, or $45.89 billion, went to foundations • Nine percent of all donations, or $38.27 billion, went to health charities • Seven percent of all donations, or $29.59 billion, went to public society benefit charities • Six percent of all donations, or $22.97 billion, went to international charities • Five percent of all donations, or $19.51 billion, went to arts, culture and humanities • Three percent of all donations, or $11.83 billion, went to charities that support the environment and animals Source: Giving USA Foundation | NOVEMBER 2019 | 101 CONNECT