Jan 27, 2010

NYIGF Donates to Haitian Artisan Communities and Relief Agencies

White Plains, NY — To support Haitian earthquake relief, the New York International Gift Fair® (NYIGF®) has established systems to allow market participants to make individual donations through NYIGF’s Handmade® division, Saturday, January 30, through Wednesday, February 3, 2010, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. NYIGF also has made direct donations to two relief organizations: Artisan Grant Initiative (AGI) of Vital Edge Aid, a humanitarian micro-aid organization supporting indigenous artisan communities in Haiti, and AmeriCares®, a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs.

“We have been overwhelmed with expressions of concern from the gift and home community,” explains Dorothy Belshaw, NYIGF Director and GLM Senior Vice President. “In response to this, and in addition to NYIGF’s direct donations, we have established two systems through which NYIGF exhibitors and attendees can join NYIGF in support of Haitian relief efforts.”

According to Belshaw, NYIGF’s $2,500 donation to the Artisan Grant Initiative (AGI) of Vital Edge Aid, will target three heavily impacted Haitian artisan groups: Firstly, stone workers from Leogane, a countryside town where as many as 90% of the buildings were destroyed, and stone artisans who live and work there are reporting heavy damages to their dwellings; secondly, RARA bags, a small Port-au-Prince based creator of recycled bags, whose workshop was completely destroyed; and thirdly, Einstein Albert, a second generation producer of sustainable wood products, whose family and workers are safe but living on the streets. Details about AGI are available online at www.vitaledgeaid.org.

NYIGF also has donated $2,500 to AmeriCares, a nonprofit disaster relief and humanitarian aid organization which provides immediate response to emergency medical needs – and supports long-term humanitarian assistance programs. Details about AmeriCares are available online atwww.americacares.org.

In cooperation with Aid to Artisans, an international nonprofit organization promoting economic development for the craft sector, GLM has identified companies selling Haitian products, and has coordinated a list of exhibitors donating portions of onsite proceeds to relief efforts, charitable organizations, and directly to Haitian artisans. Currently, a group of 23 Handmade exhibitors plan to donate proceeds from the sale of Haitian handcrafts and other lines at NYIGF to three relief agencies: AmeriCares, AGI and Partners in Health. Participating exhibitors include: Acacia Creations; Aid to Artisans; alexandra ferguson; Alison Blair Studio Jewelry Designs; Angie Olami Inc.; Aster+Sage®; CALLALOO; Dwelling, LLC; Eco-Brazil Corp/Echo-the-World; Ethnic Pride Marketing; Hila; Laurel Denise; Lea’s Alphabets; Lulu Designs; Madera Exotic Woods, LLC; Manos de Madres; One World Projects; Sarah Cavender Metalworks; Tesoros Trading Company; The Niger Bend; Vilmain; Wasabi; and Watchcraft.

NYIGF also will set-up donation collection points at several points on the Handmade exhibit floor, where exhibitors and attendees can make individual donations of at least $1. GLM will match, dollar-for-dollar, all monies collected at show site and donate the total amount to AmericaCares and AGI.

NYIGF is the nation’s premier gift, home and lifestyle marketplace, with 2,700 exhibiting companies featuring an extraordinary breadth and depth of design-driven home fashion products and complementary giftware. Some 31,000 attendees from all 50 states and more than 85 countries worldwide are expected. Information and registration is available online at www.nyigf.com.