Although it will be a while before life returns to normal for much of Southeast Texas, the region continues to make progress in its recovery from Hurricane Harvey. Most promotional products businesses in the area report that they have reopened, although the industry stands ready to assist companies still in need.
Houston-based Hirsch Gift’s offices suffered minimal damage during the storm and it has resumed normal business hours. In the aftermath of Harvey, it has coordinated receipt of donation shipments from across the country and handling deliveries to area shelters and relief efforts.
On Friday the company released a statement requesting that additional donations not already on their way to the supplier’s warehouse be saved for shipment to Florida so that victims of Hurricane Irma can also receive aid.
Members have also focused on meeting individual needs for ongoing assistance after the storm. Peter Hirsch and Dave Degreeff, executive director of the Houston Promotional Products Association (HPPA), set up a GofundMe page for Ted Dennison, MAS, of TMJ Enterprises. An active member of the HPPA, past president of the regional association’s board, and a recipient of the 2016 PPAI RAC Volunteer Of The Year award, Dennison and his family are working to recover after their home was flooded, while at the same time he is battling a rare form of cancer.
In Harvey’s wake, PPAI and SAGE are granting payment extensions to affected members along the Gulf Coast. In addition to the payment relief, SAGE is offering complimentary email campaign services to any affected member customers to notify their customers with information on the current state of their business affairs and to keep them updated as businesses hopefully return to normal operations.
Members in the affected region who need additional time to pay for membership and subscription services simply need to contact their SAGE account executive at 800.925.7243 or their PPAI customer service representative at 888.I.AM.PPAI (426.7724) and request a payment deferment. To receive complimentary SAGE Email Campaigns, contact your SAGE account executive as well. Recognizing that many members may not have access to their computers, SAGE representatives can assist with loading customer lists and creating the email campaign to send out. SAGE can be reached at 800.925.7243 or sales@sageworld.com.
The RAC Business Recovery Fund (BRF) has also been activated to support businesses located in counties that have been declared a state of disaster by the federal government. Those in affected counties that need assistance can fill out the assessment here: http://www.regionalassociation.org/business-recovery-fund/brf-assistance. Donations can be made to the BRF here.
As the long-term effects of Hurricane Harvey continue to play out, the promotional products industry may experience more requests for assistance and more opportunities for those willing to help out. If your company was affected or is contributing to the recovery efforts through donations, let PPB Newslink know by emailing PPB@ppai.org.