BrandSource, Exhibitors Rise Up to Aid Foster Youth

Two lucky members will leave Convention with a new set of car keys.

By Alan Wolf, YSN

Last year, BrandSource members, AVB, and group vendors raised more than $200,000 to support our charity partner of choice, Together We Rise (TWR).

This week, we’re digging into our pockets again, this time to assist the foster care support group’s Family Fellowship initiative for college-bound youth. Rather than dismiss foster care clientele as they age out of the system, the Family Fellowship program provides tuition assistance, housing, career and life skills support, and even a place to go during the holidays, for deserving students across the country.

To help reach a Convention goal of $150,000, BrandSource’s vendor partners have come together to raffle off two roundtrip tickets to anywhere on Jet Blue, along with a grand prize of a Jeep Wrangler sport utility vehicle, plus a second Jeep Wrangler donated by LG.

Members received raffle tickets for qualifying orders at last night’s Stampede event and can also vie for a Wrangler with a $50 purchase of TWR apparel at the Together We Rise booth. While there, attendees can also sign up for fundraising events in their stores and communities, and can enter the Jet Blue giveaway by dropping off a business card.

AVB Marketing’s Amanda Nelson, COO Dave Meekings and TWR scholarship recipient Juanje Davis review the program’s impact.

Winning raffles will be drawn tomorrow (Tuesday) at 10:30 a.m. on the Expo floor.

In addition, AVB will donate $5 to TWR for every attendee who completes an emailed Convention survey and shows their confirmation email as they enter the Expo tomorrow morning.

The fundraising drive was announced on the main stage yesterday, where scholarship recipient Juanje Davis gave witness to the program’s cascade of social benefits.

“I am extremely excited that Together We Rise is joining Convention as our philanthropy partner,” said Amanda Nelson, and AVB Marketing project manager who first brought the organization to BrandSource’s attention. “Working together through COVID, we have found innovative ways to continue to support the foster youth in our communities.”

“Welcoming the Together We Rise team to Nashville,” Nelson continued, “we will be able to further educate our members, vendor partners and employees about the variety of opportunities to help foster youth gain the resources they need to live happy, fulfilling lives. I look forward to building our partnership for years to come!”

As a TWR “Superhero Partner”— a standing BrandSource shares with Toyota, Jet Blue, AIG, MetLife and others — AVB’s employees can make recurring donations to the organization through payroll deductions, and one-time donations can be made by texting AVBGIVES to 44321.

BrandSource, a unit of YSN publisher AVB Inc., is a nationwide buying group for independent appliance, furniture, mattress and CE dealers.

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