Gift for Life Supporting WCK’s Earthquake Aid in Turkey, Syria

Gift for Life’s Home vs. Hunger team has launched a fundraising campaign supporting World Central Kitchen’s earthquake aid in Turkey and Syria. All funds will be directed to World Central Kitchen, which is working with local partners supporting families impacted by the crisis as well as the rescue crews.

Donations may be made via the Home vs. Hunger page link: https://donate.wck.org/HomeVsHunger23. The campaign goal is $25,000, which will provide thousands of hot meals to families in crisis.

“We are working together with home furnishings brands, trade media, market centers, influencers and industry organizations to quickly raise awareness, gather donations and send help to desperate families,” said Russ Jones, co-chair of Home vs. Hunger. “Every dollar helps someone, and every dollar goes directly to assistance programs.”

Home vs. Hunger team members include Sharon Davis, ART; Jen Dolan, Arteriors; Jenny Heinzen York, Currey & Company; Jonathan Cochran, Eichholtz; Chris Amos, International Market Centers; Mark Furlet, International Market Centers; Russ Jones, Ivystone; Douglas Self, J. Douglas; and Sandra Standefer, Loloi Rugs.

In addition to this immediate need and campaign, ongoing Home vs Hunger fundraising efforts will take place during the spring High Point Market.

World Central Kitchen was founded in 2010 by Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies in times of crisis and beyond. In 2020, with COVID-19 straining traditional food security safety nets like school feeding programs, city services and food banks, WCK pivoted to safely distribute individually packaged, fresh meals in communities that needed support and launched the Restaurants for the People program to scale nationwide. Fast forward to 2022 and the escalating crisis in Ukraine and at home. When disaster strikes, WCK’s Chef Relief Team mobilizes to the front lines making sure there is always a warm meal, an encouraging word, and a helping hand. World Central Kitchen has provided tens of millions of fresh, nourishing meals for communities around the world. Donations will be used to support emergency food relief efforts and resilience programs. For information, visit www.wck.org. If you’d like to host your own fundraiser for World Central Kitchen, click HERE or contact a member of the Gift for Life board

Gift for Life was founded by Peter Schauben of Appleman Schauben in 1992 in response to the tragic loss of industry lives to AIDS. The organization’s first meeting at the National Stationery Show brought together a cross-section of the industry’s leading publishers, market centers, sales reps, manufacturers, and retailers – all willing to convene and work together towards a common goal. Since that time, Gift for Life has raised nearly $6 million for AIDS research, education, treatment and care through nationwide at-market events, cause marketing programs and direct donations In 2021, with COVID-19 temporarily causing cancelation of in-person events at industry markets, Gift for Life pivoted towards online digital events with a specific emphasis on COVID-related hunger relief. In 2023, the all-volunteer organization will continue to support programs that address hunger relief. More information is available at www.facebook.com/giftforlife.

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