K.I.D.S and Fashion Delivers California Relief Campaign

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) May 18, 2009 -- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Jessica Liddell, jliddell@bcg-pr.com
PRODUCT DONATIONS CONTACT: Carla Fattal, 212.629.6700, Carla@fashiondelivers.org OR Chris Blake 212.279.5493, cblake@kidsdonations.org

K.I.D.S and Fashion Delivers California Relief Campaign
DONATE YOUR EXCESS INVENTORY TO THOSE IN NEED IN CALIFORNIA

[Los Angeles, CA, May 18, 2009] – K.I.D.S (Kids in Distressed Situations) and Fashion Delivers announce the launch of their “California Relief Campaign”. The two organizations are undertaking a major outreach campaign to provide donations of new product to help homeless individuals and families across California. With a goal to raise over $5 million in goods, including consumer packaged items, apparel, home products and/or children’s merchandise from donors within the retail industry, donations will be accepted beginning May 18th through June 29th.
California, home to one of every eight Americans, has been deeply impacted by the economic crisis with record high unemployment rates of 10.5% and the largest declines in home values in the country. Southern California, experiencing America's largest homeless population, has been hardest hit by the economic downturn, with Los Angeles now having more homeless people than other major cities combined. The facts are staggering:

- According to the Sacramento Department of Human Assistance over 100,000 people are now being helped with general assistance for clothing and food - a 30% increase over last year.
- Shelter Partnership in Los Angeles stated that the “Skid Row” section of downtown LA has become the hub of homelessness. There are long waiting lists for homeless families to get into shelters, and this issue has been intensified due to closures of some shelters due to lack of funding.
"Homeless shelters are working with families that they haven't seen before. The primary breadwinners are getting laid off and now working class families are finding themselves without a home," states Ruth Schwartz, Executive Director, Shelter Partnership.

Julian R. Geiger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aéropostale, said “We are acutely aware of, and sensitive to, the unique need for product donations in California. As part of an on-going support of those whose lives are challenged, we have identified Fashion Delivers and K.I.D.S as two very worthy organizations to partner with.”

We need your help today! Items donated by California companies or those with a warehouse presence in/or surrounding states will be picked up from any location and shipped to one of our recipient agencies where they will be directed to shelters. In only 3 steps, product from your company can soon be in the hands of so many depending on us during difficult times. First, simply email or call Carla Fattal, 212.629.6700, Carla@fashiondelivers.org or Chris Blake, 212.279.5493, cblake@kidsdonations.org with your information and intent to donate. Next, within 1-3 days of notification, pick-up details and shipment will be coordinated with your Company. Finally, social service agencies will gather and distribute donated items to match the needs with our one of our recipient agencies.
Current participating donors for the campaign include: Aéropostale, Li & Fung USA, L’Oreal Professional, Oso Republic, Barbara Lesser, For Wear, Fishman Tobin, Polo, Liz Claiborne, and Velvet Inc.
Experts on helping those in need

K.I.D.S. and Fashion Delivers bring hope and self-esteem to children and families in need by providing clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books and products through a network of more than a thousand local social service agencies. By reaching out to those in distressed situations these organizations provide hope, donating close to $62 million worth of goods in 2008. Whether providing product to those affected by disaster or providing on-going support to those living in distressed situations, KIDS and Fashion Delivers have been dealing with crisis situations for over 24 years.
About K.I.D.S. and Fashion Delivers

Since 1985, K.I.D.S. has reached out to more than 64 million children in need by distributing more than a half billion dollars worth of new merchandise. Through a network of more than a thousand local social service agencies, K.I.D.S. serves youth in homeless shelters, foster-care facilities, hospitals, relief organizations, food banks and other programs in the U.S. and abroad. With overhead costs consistently under 2.5%, K.I.D.S. is one of America’s most efficient charities, having earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating of four stars, and being listed in the Forbes top 200 Charities and the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance.
Fashion Delivers was founded in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and is a not-for-profit organization intended to mobilize the fashion and related industries to help our neighbors. Its mission is to provide products from all parts of the fashion and related industries to victims of natural disasters and those in need. Since its inception the organization has raised nearly $32 million dollars in donations from over 150 supporting companies from the fashion and home industries.

More information can be found online at http://www.kidsdonations.org