World Market Center Donates Furnishings to Chariti
Las Vegas, NV, October 24, 2006--World Market Center, the rapidly-growing home furnishings trade complex located in downtown Las Vegas, is planning to make the holiday season brighter for several Las Vegas-based charities by planning a “Furniture Donation Day” scheduled for Thursday, October 26 at 10 a.m.
World Market Center is donating approximately 800 pieces of merchandise with a retail value in excess of $250,000. World Market Center has accumulated extensive furniture merchandise since its 2005 opening, which was originally inventory of several of the tenants in the wholesale mart building. Products being donated include nursery sets, diaper stackers, sheet sets, bed skirts, twin beds, pictures, lamps, cribs, mattresses, pillows, quilts, dressers, chairs, rugs, shelves, desks, bookcases, baskets, bunk beds, beanbags, night stands and chests.
The local beneficiaries of World Market Center’s Furniture Donation Day will include Child Haven, Safe Nest, Ronald McDonald House, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, Young Israel Aish Las Vegas and Goodwill Industries. These organizations were selected based on their immediate needs and ability to utilize the merchandise.
“We are in possession of a vast inventory of new furniture merchandise and wanted to put it to the highest and best use. Our goal was to spread the goods to benefit as many community organizations as possible, and yet still make an impact for each one,” said Harvey Dondero, Chief Executive Officer of World Market Center. “With so many needy charities in the valley, we focused on very high need situations and organizations that we felt could put the product to immediate use in their shelter or thrift stores. For example, Child Haven, a shelter for abused children, has an immediate requirement to furnish a new cottage opening in December that will house up to 30 at-risk children.”
The Las Vegas-based Capitol North American is donating several thousand dollars’ worth of time, labor and equipment to help move the home furnishings products within World Market Center to the trucks provided by the charities. Mitch Rittenhouse, owner of Capitol North American, said is pleased that his company can play an active role in World Market Center’s Furniture Donation Day on October 26.
“We have worked with the team at World Market Center from the very beginning and we have always been extremely impressed with their commitment to the community,” Rittenhouse said. “Not only is World Market Center a major employer here in Las Vegas, but they truly give back through philanthropy. We are proud to be associated with World Market Center and we try to support their philanthropic endeavors however we can. We look forward to being a part of Furniture Donation Day.”
Teri Medina, Child Development Specialist and Supervisor at Child Haven, said much of the product being donated, which includes bunk beds and cribs, will be used in a new cottage being built at Child Haven to be used for siblings housed at the facility, while other goods will be used for the area that houses medically fragile infants. “It means so much to us to receive furniture and furnishings that are of such high quality,” Medina said. “We try to make Child Haven as home-like as possible for children in custody and it’s so wonderful to have new furniture for these kids, who are put in a bad situation. We feel so fortunate to have World Market Center reach out to us in this incredible way. We are so grateful and touched.”
Ronald McDonald House provides temporary housing for families traveling to Las Vegas to receive medical treatment for their children. JoAnn Malone, Executive Director of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, said the crib set and bedding received from World Market Center will help make the rooms cozier.
