Party With a Purpose Set for April 21

Gift for Life’s Home vs. Hunger team today announced that its “Party with a Purpose” fundraising event for World Central Kitchen will be held Friday, April 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., at the Eichholtz Showroom, 129 S. Hamilton St. in High Point, N.C.  All proceeds will benefit World Central Kitchen’s crisis-related hunger relief efforts.

“Party with a Purpose is the home and accessory industry’s way to help support World Central Kitchen and the amazing work they do,” said Russ Jones, chair of Home vs. Hunger. “This April will be our second Home vs. Hunger event, and we are thrilled that Eichholtz once again generously is hosting the event. We hope that market-goers will come by, have a drink and a bite, and donate to help us Feed the Hungry! Feel the Good!”

To RSVP for this event, email homevshunger@gmail.com. Donations from members of the home industry are accepted at https://donate.wck.org/HomeVsHunger23.

In partnership with home industry leaders and market makers, Gift for Life’s debuted its Home vs Hunger initiative at High Point Market in October. An in-person event at the Fall 2022 High Point Market and an online campaign in February following devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria together have raised nearly $28,000 for World Central Kitchen.

“We are excited by the momentum created by the Home vs. Hunger launch at High Point Market,” said Ari Lowenstein, chair of Gift for Life. “High Point is the most important gathering of buyers and sellers for home furnishings and accessories. The Home vs. Hunger team created a visible and tangible way for industry members to connect and combine resources to make a difference in the world. We are humbled by the home industry’s support and generosity and look forward to all that we can accomplish together in the future.”

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 (IMC); Mark Furlet, International Market Centers; Monica Loving, Ivystone; Jones, Ivystone; Douglas Self, J. Douglas; and Sandra Standefer, Loloi Rugs.

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. 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.

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