Gift for Life Honors Kikkerland Founder for 25th Annual Party For Life
DIFFA’s charitable partner, Gift for Life, the gift and home industries’ sole charitable organization, will celebrate 25 years of fighting AIDS at its 2017 Party for Life, Monday, February 6, in New York City. As part of the evening’s festivities, Jan van der Lande of Kikkerland Design will be awarded Gift for Life’s Chuck Yancy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dutchman Jan van der Lande founded Kikkerland Design Inc. in 1992 – the same year of Gift for Life’s founding – from his houseboat in Manhattan by selling products made by independent self-producing designers; and in the first few years, he delivered his orders by bicycle. Today, Kikkerland has its own design studio and produces about 150 new items every six months – averaging out to a remarkable one product per day. The wide-ranging collection offers everything from stationery, kitchen products and tech accessories to games, tools and tabletop items for living space. The products, which are marketed worldwide, are witty and aimed to engage and inspire the curious viewer. Kikkerland has offices in New York, Hong Kong and Rotterdam; in addition, it has a flagship retail store located in New York City’s West Village.
According to van der Lande, “I am ever so grateful for the Gift for Life Award. It is nice to receive recognition of 25 years of trial and error and making every possible mistake. This would not be worthwhile if it were just for myself. I am very happy to help those in need with something that was given to me as well.”
Gift for Life was founded by Peter Schauben of Appleman Schauben in 1992 in response to the tragic loss of industry lives to AIDS. The organization’s first meeting at the National Stationery Show brought together a cross-section of the industry’s leading publishers, market centers, sales reps, manufacturers and retailers – all willing to convene and work together towards a common goal. Now, 25 years later, Gift for Life has raised more than $5 million for AIDS research, education, treatment and care through nationwide at-market events, cause marketing programs and direct donations. In 2008, Gift for Life selected DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S., as its sole charity partner and beneficiary. In 2015, DIFFA National granted more than $250,000 to nearly 20 organizations providing treatment, education, prevention and advocacy.
“We are delighted to celebrate our 25th Anniversary in 2017,” said Frank Joens, chair of the Gift for Life board. “The 25th Annual Party for Life will be like none before it, with a very special program tracing our history and looking ahead to our future. At this event, our plan is to convey gratitude to our caring and generous industry, by giving back to them with a spectacular celebration!”
Make plans now to attend The Boathouse in New York City’s Central Park. Guests will mingle, network and compete for a wide array of prizes available at silent auction. Individual tickets, which are available for $125, include food, open bar, live music and dancing, with available sponsorships ranging from $500 through $25,000. To purchase tickets or sponsorships, visit www.giftforlife.org/participate. For details, contact Steven Williams at swilliams@diffa.org, (212) 727-3100.
Gift for Life raises funds to benefit DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS through nationwide at-market events, cause marketing programs and direct donations. The primary mission of Gift for Life is to raise funds for DIFFA-granted HIV/AIDS service, education, prevention and advocacy programs across the U.S. For additional information please visit www.giftforlife.org.
ABOUT GIFT FOR LIFE and DIFFA
Gift for Life unites the gift and home industries against AIDS with more than $5 million raised since its inception in 1992. In 2008, Gift for Life selected DIFFA: Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS, one of the largest funders of HIV/AIDS service and education programs in the U.S., as its sole charity partner. Since its founding in 1984, DIFFA has mobilized the immense resources of the design communities to provide more than $40 million to hundreds of AIDS organizations nationwide. More information is available at www.giftforlife.org
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