When exhibitors depart the Mandalay Bay Convention Center Thursday afternoon following The PPAI Expo, they will take home orders, leads and another great show experience. But there’s one thing they can leave behind: unneeded samples and extra products. These can be donated to the Kids In Need Foundation where they will be funneled into donation centers for use by teachers at underprivileged schools across the U.S.
Since 2008, exhibitors at Expo have generously donated leftover products to the Kids In Need Foundation where they are used as awards, prizes and incentives.
Mary Banghart, store manager for Teacher EXCHANGE®, the Las Vegas KINF affiliate, and her team will be onsite again this year to confirm and collect product donations. Exhibitors should look for representatives wearing red Kids In Need t-shirts generously donated by supplier Hanes (PPAI 191138) and screen printed by distributor CustomInk (PPAI 594384).
Any type of product qualifies including pens, markers, apparel, plush toys, awards and other recognition items, drinkware, magnets, buttons, ribbons, stickers, bags, clocks and watches, desk and office products, electronics, calendars, games, toys and business accessories. The organization will also accept shelving and exhibit materials from the booths.
Exhibitors wanting to donate products should fill out a donation form and pick up labels at the Kids In Need table located at each main show entrance. Place the labels on the boxes or stacks of products and leave them in the booth for pick up on Thursday after 3 pm. Kids In Need will send the company a receipt for the donated products. Products left in the booth without labels cannot be collected. Find the form here; a copy of the form will also be delivered to each booth this week.
In addition to product donations at Expo, the Kids In Need Foundation accepts products and cash donations year-round at www.kinf.org.
For assistance with product donations at Expo, email Tina Filipski, PPAI director of publications, at TinaF@ppai.org.
