K.I.D.S.’ Gala To Honor Sears, Perry Ellis And Soles4souls Execs Helping Children

Sept. 14, 2010 - PRLog -- September 13, 2010 - New York - Kids In Distressed Situations (K.I.D.S.), the internationally renowned children’s charity, will celebrate  its 25th Anniversary year with a gala fundraiser honoring three industry leaders who have donated their time and resources to support K.I.D.S.’ efforts in providing new product to children living in poverty and suffering from devastating disasters.  Being recognized are John Goodman, Executive Vice President of Sears Holding Corporation; Oscar Feldenkreis, President & Chief Operating Officer of Perry Ellis Corporation; and Wayne Elsey, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the footwear charity Soles4Souls.  The evening’s keynote speaker is Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, whose continuing mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation and family empowerment.  The gala event will be Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at Cipriani Dolci in New York City, located at 89 E. 42nd St.  Cocktails start at 6:00 p.m.

“Each of our honorees and Mayor Booker embodies the passion and commitment of helping children and families achieve a better, more productive life, which is at the heart of the mission of K.I.D.S. since our founding 25 years ago,” says Peter Rosenthal, Chairman of K.I.D.S. and President of Rosenthal & Rosenthal.  K.I.D.S. has provided over 65 million underprivileged and disaster-struck children with close to one billion dollars of NEW clothing, toys, basic necessities, juvenile products, books and much more.  

President Obama was the organization’s keynote speaker in 2006 and said, “We can’t end childhood poverty through government alone, and we shouldn’t expect to.  It will take the work of organizations like K.I.D.S., the generosity of corporations, the charity of religious groups and even a renewed sense of responsibility among families…”  Perry Ellis Corporation, Sears, and Soles4Souls have met that call, generously providing new apparel and products to K.I.D.S. that has helped millions of children.  

--John Goodman, Executive Vice President of Sears Holding Corporation, will receive the K.I.D.S. Retail Award

--Oscar Feldenkreis, President & Chief Operating Officer of Perry Ellis Corporation is being recognized with the K.I.D.S. Achievement Award

--Wayne Elsey, Founder & Chief Executive Officer of the shoe charity Soles4Souls, is being acknowledged with the K.I.D.S. Humanitarian Award

Table sponsorships are $10,000, $15,000, $25,000 and $50,000.  More information about tickets and sponsorships is available via email at kids_gala@frontier.com or via phone at 845-758-6403.

K.I.D.S. was founded 25 years ago as one of the first organizations to provide NEW products and apparel for children in need.  Their model of quickly delivering necessities in response to natural disaster or children living in the depths of poverty has set the bar for several industry organizations, many of whom have followed suit.  K.I.D.S. has provided over 65 million underprivileged and disaster-struck children with close to one billion dollars of NEW clothing, toys, basic necessities, juvenile products, books and much more.  The donations of new products are distributed through an established network of nearly 1,000 local community social service agencies in the U.S. and abroad.  Our efforts reach children who are challenged by poverty, homelessness, domestic abuse, low literacy, military family service, major illness, incarcerated family members and disaster survival.  More information about donating new products and supporting our work is available online at http://www.KIDSdonations.org.

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K.I.D.S. takes excess new products donated by manufacturers and retailers and provides them to children in need. The children's apparel, shoes, toys, books/media and juvenile product are given to social service agencies across the country.