October 13, 2015—Gift for Life, the gift and home industries’ charitable organization, announced today it will receive a portion of the proceeds from the Gift and Home Trade Association (GHTA) auction held during the organization’s annual Bridgeway Collaborative Conference, November 10-12, 2015, in Austin, TX.
On the evening of Wednesday, November 11, a GHTA evening social event will feature dinner, an auction and live entertainment for more than 250 conference guests. A special tequila tasting, hosted by Appleman Scahuben during the winter 2016 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market®, will be live auctioned at the event. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of that item will benefit Gift For Life.
“We are delighted to be partnering again with GHTA and their Bridgeway Collaborative partners to support our industry’s sole national charity,” said Frank Joens, chair of the Gift for Life board. “While medical evolution in the treatment of HIV is keeping people alive, we have already lost 15,000 people in 2015 to HIV-related deaths, and youths age 13-20 account for 26% of new HIV infections. Until a cure is found, Gift for Life will continue to raise monies to reignite awareness, to educate and to bring about consciousness among our industry.
“The GHTA has been a longtime partner with Gift For Life, and we look forward to continuing our support by giving them a portion of proceeds from this conference auction item,” said Robert Ricciardi, president of GHTA. According to Ricciardi, the Atlanta-based charitable organization Caminar Latino, a domestic violence intervention program for Latino families, supported by Young Gift Executives (YGE), also will receive a portion of the proceeds. Other Bridgeway Collaborative partners are Accessories Resource Team (ART), and the Gift Sales Managers Association (GSMA).
Make plans now to bid on this auction item at the GHTA Conference and help Gift for Life’s nationwide program of HIV/AIDS education, testing and prevention. Also, mark your calendars for The Boathouse in New York City’s Central Park. Individual tickets are $125, and sponsorships ranging from $500 through $25,000 are available. For details, contact Steven Williams at swilliams@diffa.org, (212) 727-3100.
Each year, Gift for Life hosts events throughout the U.S. benefitting DIFFA. The primary mission of Gift for Life and DIFFA is to eradicate the AIDS pandemic in the U.S. Working together, Gift for Life and DIFFA will continue to raise funds for HIV/AIDS service and education programs. For additional information please visit www.giftforlife.org. Follow Gift for Life’s efforts via its free e-newsletter, available at http://www.giftforlife.org/about_gfl/press-releases-and-newsletters/.
ABOUT GIFT FOR LIFE and DIFFA
Gift for Life unites the gift and home industries against AIDS with more than $5 million raised since its inception in 1992. In 2008, Gift for Life selected DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S., as its sole national charity partner. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide more than $41 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide. More information is available at www.giftforlife.org and at www.diffa.org.
About the Gift and Home Trade Association:
GHTA is the gift and home industry’s professional trade association formed to help vendors, sales agencies, retailers and industry affiliates who are involved in an industry that is fast changing, with the expectation of making it better together. GHTA’s mission is to support, lead, and unify the gift and home industry, focusing on its long-term success. GHTA can be reached by email at info@giftandhome.org. For more information on the Gift and Home Trade Association visit www.giftandhome.org.
