tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31254910565022993962024-02-19T06:46:01.557-08:00NAEIR BlogThe NAEIR blog is intended to share stories and information about how <a href="http://www.naeir.org">NAEIR can provide free products to churches, schools and nonprofits</a>. Through a membership plan nonprofits with a 501c3 status are provided access to thousands of dollars in new merchandise for a cost that is a fraction of what the items are actually worth.NAEIRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06233755578854319432noreply@blogger.comBlogger63125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-71201592351138787512012-06-29T06:35:00.001-07:002012-06-29T06:37:40.708-07:00Hurry! First Come, First Served - "July 2012 Best Values"!Did you think we were making this up? The July Best Values Catalog -- Yes. It's really here and you would be well-advised to get your requests in early...while supplies last! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oXopgm3u0Qg/T-2vIA0MzdI/AAAAAAAAAKw/ykWfN7jG4mU/s1600/July2012_BV_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-oXopgm3u0Qg/T-2vIA0MzdI/AAAAAAAAAKw/ykWfN7jG4mU/s320/July2012_BV_Cover.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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Shipping is <b>FREE</b> (minimum $25 order). Some of the products you'll find include - Party & decorating, personal care, clothing & jewelry, domestic (food related, collectibles, furniture & interior decorating), toys and sporting goods, educational & craft supplies, office & electronics and maintenance items.</div>
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For more information on how to make the most of your NAEIR membership, see our <i>Helpful Hints</i> in the back of this catalog. Obviously you can't do that if you're ordering online. Just give us a call at (800)-562-0955. Our friendly NAEIR representatives will be happy to help!</div>
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</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-6435204607169995512012-06-27T10:20:00.001-07:002012-06-27T10:36:40.507-07:00GREAT NEW ITEMS ONLINE TODAY AT www.naeir.org<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Check out our "eye-popping" brand
new look and awesome shopping features on the NEW NAEIR website. See just how easy it
is to request items online and get faster delivery! </span><br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1o58xEggEBk/T-tAJL_EBII/AAAAAAAAAKc/rQPEbgefzsQ/s1600/NAEIR+website+image+-+Shop.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1o58xEggEBk/T-tAJL_EBII/AAAAAAAAAKc/rQPEbgefzsQ/s320/NAEIR+website+image+-+Shop.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_PAJ9ZiNPQ/T-s8FQrrF9I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/CjNuT3djsO4/s1600/NAEIR+website+image.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t_PAJ9ZiNPQ/T-s8FQrrF9I/AAAAAAAAAKQ/CjNuT3djsO4/s320/NAEIR+website+image.gif" width="320" /></a><br />
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u><span style="color: red;">EXPRESS</span></u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">-Over </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">50 NEW items</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> added
TODAY -Available for shipping and handling only </span><br />
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<b><u><span style="color: red;">BIG BOOK</span></u></b> -Available for <b>Premier
Members only</b> –The Summer Catalogs were mailed on Wednesday 6/6/12 so you should
have your catalog by now. Make your requesting process easy and go online and
view and request all of the Summer Catalog items. </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><u><span style="color: red;">BEST VALUES CATALOG</span></u></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>
JULY 2012</b> Best Values – Will go ONLINE this Friday, 6/29/12 with FREE Shipping </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>JUNE 2012</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">Best Values – ONLINE NOW with FREE Shipping </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>MAY 2012</b> Best Values – FREE Shipping – ONLY ONE MORE DAY LEFT TO REQUEST FROM
THIS CATALOG ONLINE - Deadline date is 6/28/12 <br />
<b><u><span style="color: red;">CLEARANCE </span></u></b>-FREE Shipping <br />
<b><u><span style="color: red;">SPECIALS </span></u></b>- The Special Offers
catalog is in the mail, but items are available ONLINE RIGHT NOW </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>TO VIEW WHAT'S AVAILABLE</b>, click </span><a href="http://catalog.naeir.org/" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">here</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and go directly to our website or go to </span><a href="http://www.naeir.org/" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.naeir.org</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">.
Enter your Login ID and Password in the upper right hand corner. Select which catalog of items you want to view first or browse by category if you're looking for something specific.<b> Questions</b>? Need to get signed up to see what's available? </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;"><b>Call</b> your Advocate at 800-562-0955 and
select option 3 or send an email to </span><a href="mailto:member@naeir.org" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">member@naeir.org</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-57450093466071055222012-06-25T07:45:00.000-07:002012-06-25T07:53:21.968-07:00NOYO - NAEIR Overstock, Your Opportunity!<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3VJjd7pdzc/T-h0g7D0N-I/AAAAAAAAAKE/TztpCWbeg3c/s1600/Catalog.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-r3VJjd7pdzc/T-h0g7D0N-I/AAAAAAAAAKE/TztpCWbeg3c/s1600/Catalog.gif" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">NAEIR Overstock is an OOP (Online Only Program). Actually, for the record, we don't refer to it as an OOP. I just thought that OOP sounds cute and catchy and that my use of it here might inspire others at NAEIR (and maybe even you) to adopt it. I wouldn't bet the farm on it but...you never know. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Back to Overstock - They're NAEIR's high quantity items offered online on a first come, first served basis. The benefit to ordering through Overstock is that if you see it, we have it and it ships ASAP. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Also, if an item is out of stock, our online access will tell you and more than likely - we'll have something similar that you can order instead.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Yes, there's a small handling charge when requesting these particular items, but ordering these products online </span><b style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">guarantees</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> you'll get them and even more quickly than if you were to request them through the "Big Book" Catalog you get in the mail.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In general, you should probably make it a habit of going to the NAEIR website frequently to see what new and valuable products we have available - whether through the "Big Book", Best Value, Express, Clearance, or Specials Catalogs. The savings are not to be missed and available to you right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Watch for Emails specifically alerting you when Overstock items become available. We feature Overstock about five times a year. It's not active right now but it will be in a few short weeks - Mid-July.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When they hit, you'll want to seize the opportunity!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-68849800278476212522012-06-19T09:40:00.000-07:002012-06-19T13:28:04.621-07:00Don't Wait! The Offerings are Great!There are great products to be found in the 2012 Summer Catalog (aka Big Book). This also holds true for the Special Offers, the Best Values as well as the Clearance Catalogs. We go to great lengths to make every new catalog better than the previous one. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SZWMjKN_t54/T-CeZsdSdXI/AAAAAAAAAJU/d1ITl04tJPA/s1600/June-July2012_Clearance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SZWMjKN_t54/T-CeZsdSdXI/AAAAAAAAAJU/d1ITl04tJPA/s320/June-July2012_Clearance.jpg" width="243" /></a><br />
The shipping's Free, no matter what you order on the Clearance Catalog. Otherwise, a minimum $25 order entitles you to Free shipping on the Best Values and Special Offers Catalogs.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSx76XFMIkU/T-CeZ0iiMyI/AAAAAAAAAJc/ku8yy6R9ObA/s1600/June2012_BV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OSx76XFMIkU/T-CeZ0iiMyI/AAAAAAAAAJc/ku8yy6R9ObA/s320/June2012_BV.jpg" width="246" /></a><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">We're excited about all of the products featured and it looks as if some of this excitement is spreading. If you don't act now, some of these products may start to disappear before long. Don't wait. Deadlines are fast approaching especially for the Clearance and Best Values Catalogs.</span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGaIdkzFdZ4/T-CeafXBOII/AAAAAAAAAJk/dqUDC1onCn4/s1600/SU12_BigBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oGaIdkzFdZ4/T-CeafXBOII/AAAAAAAAAJk/dqUDC1onCn4/s320/SU12_BigBook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Don't forget that there's a huge amount of product available in the 2012 (Big Book) Summer Catalog and we negotiate the best possible shipping rates for you.<br />
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There's everything from office and electronics products, maintenance items, clothing, jewelry and personal care products, party and decorating and toys and sporting goods.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ui3TD83El1M/T-CwqpIqS3I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/IiQS78l49_0/s1600/Specials_Cat_June12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ui3TD83El1M/T-CwqpIqS3I/AAAAAAAAAJ4/IiQS78l49_0/s320/Specials_Cat_June12.jpg" width="247" /></a><br />
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You can order stuff online too. Just go to <a href="http://www.naeir.org/">www.naeir.org</a> and see for yourself. And if you'd like to actually speak to a live human being, pick up the phone and call us at (800)-562-0955.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-47278687936116964802012-06-12T07:45:00.001-07:002012-06-12T16:24:45.476-07:00"Special Offers" Catalog Just Released!<br />
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If you're already a NAEIR member, take a look at the <b>just released</b> "Special Offers" catalog. Free stuff, Free shipping [$25 minimum]. If you're not a member, you ought to be!
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GmsjThmTvA8/T9dV8FzmqDI/AAAAAAAAAJI/n81K5TkaG54/s1600/Specials_Cat_June12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GmsjThmTvA8/T9dV8FzmqDI/AAAAAAAAAJI/n81K5TkaG54/s320/Specials_Cat_June12.jpg" width="247" /></a></div>
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NAEIR also publishes five, “Big Book” catalogs per year as well as <span style="background-color: white;">Best Values, Overstock, and Clearance catalogs</span> through which members can browse and request free merchandise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Members from coast to coast realize big savings while acquiring many times over their membership investment in the form of product they might not otherwise be able to afford to purchase outright. </div>
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With NAEIR very often offering free shipping to boot, membership is an even better deal these days.</div>
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Check out our website at <a href="http://www.naeir.org/" style="color: #336699; text-decoration: none;">www.naeir.org</a>. The “Shop NAEIR “ tab on the upper right hand corner will give you a preview of what’s available to NAEIR members and may well inspire you to join.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955 or</span><span style="background-color: white;"> visit our website at </span><a href="http://www.naeir.org/">www.naeir.org</a><span style="background-color: white;">. </span></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-40414702146476956202012-06-06T12:09:00.000-07:002012-06-06T12:33:32.652-07:00NAEIR Reps Reap Harvest of Product & Savings for NAEIR Members<br />
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Galesburg, Illinois based NAEIR, dedicates
considerable energy to soliciting donations of much needed, unused merchandise
from American corporations. NAEIR
redistributes that merchandise to its members, which include schools,
churches and nonprofit organizations. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVLz97PXWbc/T8-k-tzAsBI/AAAAAAAAAIo/ZoN-UpPT3fU/s1600/DSC_0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nVLz97PXWbc/T8-k-tzAsBI/AAAAAAAAAIo/ZoN-UpPT3fU/s320/DSC_0266.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seated is Paula R. DeJaynes, VP of Corporate Relations,<br />
Standing from left to right is Gloria Bailey, Corporate <br />
Relations Secretary and CR Representatives<br />
Deb Rathburn, Nancy Parlier and Lupe Guerrero</td></tr>
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NAEIR’s Corporate Relations
Representatives work diligently. They
call hundreds of companies every day in order to get the best products
available for our member organizations. </div>
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This continuing effort has led to NAEIR
becoming partners with corporations such as 3M, Avery-Dennison, W.W. Grainger,
ENESCO, Hallmark, Office Depot and Newell-Rubbermaid. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Companies donate merchandise to NAEIR to support nonprofit
and charitable organizations, take advantage of tax deductions and clear out
warehouse space. Schools, churches and nonprofit organizations pay a small
membership fee and nominal shipping and handling charges to participate in
NAEIR’s program, but the merchandise itself is FREE. </div>
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NAEIR handles sorting,
processing, cataloguing and redistribution of the merchandise. </div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpjlIrNrkjs/T8-p3DdZsKI/AAAAAAAAAI0/4bdzuxknFhs/s1600/SU12_BigBook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rpjlIrNrkjs/T8-p3DdZsKI/AAAAAAAAAI0/4bdzuxknFhs/s320/SU12_BigBook.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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NAEIR publishes
five, “Big Book” 200-page catalogs per year as well as <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Best Values, Overstock, and Clearance catalogs</span>
through which members can browse and request
free merchandise. <o:p></o:p></div>
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NAEIR members from coast to coast reap substantial savings
while acquiring many times over their membership investment in the form of
product they might not otherwise be able to afford to purchase outright. </div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWMPwCVEJJ0/T8-qJUwmyrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Mb0D5eizmX0/s1600/June2012_BV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWMPwCVEJJ0/T8-qJUwmyrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/Mb0D5eizmX0/s320/June2012_BV.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
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With NAEIR very often offering free shipping
to boot, membership is an even better deal these days.<br />
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Check out our website at <a href="http://www.naeir.org/">www.naeir.org</a>. The “Shop NAEIR “ tab on the upper right hand
corner will give you a preview of what’s available to NAEIR members and may well
inspire you to join.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if
you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the
benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">You can also visit our website.</span></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-77573384444757206722012-05-30T14:18:00.003-07:002012-05-30T14:18:59.885-07:00Teachers Look to NAEIR When "Feeling The Pinch"<br />
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Considering the “cost” of NAEIR as compared to what schools and more
specifically - teachers and school administrators are getting out of a NAEIR
membership, it’s easy to see that NAEIR is a pretty sweet deal. In fact, it’s even
more of a bargain now than it’s ever been.
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Based
on surveys conducted by the National School Supply and Equipment Association
(NSSEA, out of pocket spending by individual teachers gradually decreased from
$552 in 2005/06 to $395 in 2007/08 and then to $356 in 2009/10. <o:p></o:p></div>
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According
to an online article entitled “Teachers
Spend $1.3 Billion Out of Pocket On Classroom Materials” published in July of 2010 by <b>The Journal</b>, quoting Adrienne Watts
Dayton, Vice President of Marketing and
Communications for NSSEA- <a href="http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/07/08/teachers-spend-1.3-billion-out-of-pocket-on-classroom-materials.aspx">http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/07/08/teachers-spend-1.3-billion-out-of-pocket-on-classroom-materials.aspx</a>,
“Teachers are feeling the pinch just like others affected by the downturn in
the economy,” . <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIY63UlACaw/T8aOkHEc3kI/AAAAAAAAAIc/ecHZ0trj-nU/s1600/stock-photo-3832413-school-supplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RIY63UlACaw/T8aOkHEc3kI/AAAAAAAAAIc/ecHZ0trj-nU/s320/stock-photo-3832413-school-supplies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
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The
statement was by way of explaining the decline during that period in out-of-pocket teacher spending for classroom supplies. This, in spite of the availability of albeit
limited funds from school budgets as
well as contributions from parents and PTAs who are also being asked to ante up
more toward the purchase of classroom supplies. Like most everyone these days, teachers are simply not in a position to purchase school supplies at the greater levels
they have in years past.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Meanwhile,
the need for classroom supplies continues to
grow. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Enter NAEIR. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bId0B-OHx6c/T8aGR8eL8hI/AAAAAAAAAH8/I6uFm6SPlW4/s1600/Ambrose+Recreation+&+Park+District.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bId0B-OHx6c/T8aGR8eL8hI/AAAAAAAAAH8/I6uFm6SPlW4/s320/Ambrose+Recreation+&+Park+District.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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An administrative assistant at Ambrose Recreation and Park
District - a NAEIR member located in Bay Point, CA, said, “I'm sure you
know that with the budget crisis and school district cuts as well as our
special district cuts in California, we need all the help we can get. Office, schoolroom and craft products (from
NAEIR) help a lot to cut costs on the programs. We also make use of the tools
and maintenance items for the upkeep of our community center and our three
parks that we oversee.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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At
the Trinidad State Junior College in Alamosa, CO, Margaret Sanderson, assistant
to the Dean explained, “With the college's and the state's tight budgetary
constraints, it becomes more important than ever to save money where we can.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CN024ipCLjo/T8aDIc66jYI/AAAAAAAAAHw/S-cqDytSgdU/s1600/Trinidad+State+Junior+College.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CN024ipCLjo/T8aDIc66jYI/AAAAAAAAAHw/S-cqDytSgdU/s200/Trinidad+State+Junior+College.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Graduation Ceremonies at<br />
Trinidad State Junior College,<br />
Alamosa, CO<br />
<br />
<br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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NAEIR
helps its members do more than simply shore up their budgets, with schools averaging more than $18,000 worth of free products per year. NAEIR is often seen as a life-saver; a real
blessing to its members when it comes to saving money.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Besides the “Big Book”, Best Values, Overstock and
Clearance catalog allocations, NAEIR also offers participation in a “Grab Bag,”
where members can visit NAEIR’s centrally located warehouse and take advantage
of additional materials on site. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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What other products are members getting?</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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At Pine Hill Schools in Pine Hill, New Mexico, teachers
receive pens, mechanical pencils, notebooks that they can give away to
students, office & various educational materials for Head Start, K-12
programs, FACE (Family And Child Education) & Early Intervention, and incentives
for parent involvement programs. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5De7qjdY9VM/T8aJMF8OJXI/AAAAAAAAAII/eV8VI5LMRn0/s1600/Mayo_4700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5De7qjdY9VM/T8aJMF8OJXI/AAAAAAAAAII/eV8VI5LMRn0/s1600/Mayo_4700.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mayo School, Chicago, IL</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
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At
the Mayo school in Chicago, Illinois, NAEIR products are used “…for gifts,
awards, prizes, tools and to supply the different needs of the children. The
younger children especially love the variety of stickers ... Over the years, we
have received from NAEIR, pens, paper, office supplies, (used by the older
children) scrapbook supplies, (used in art classes and early grade levels)
hats, push brooms, flashlights, lunchboxes, tools, and clothes.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uses
for NAEIR products are truly versatile and wide-ranging. All in all, when you consider the low
membership fee, the variety of available products and often – FREE shipping,
NAEIR members get a great deal of merchandise in relation
to an extremely low administrative cost.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">Whether you’re a school - or if you’re a nonprofit or church
organization that happens to be reading this, all of the above applies to you
as well. Give us a call at (800)-562-0955
or visit our website </span><a href="http://www.naeir.org/"><span style="background-color: white;">www.naeir.org</span></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">If you’re with a company that’s sitting on excess,
slow-moving inventory, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’d love to hear from
you. There are some attractive tax and other benefits when donating inventory and the
donation process is straightforward. We’ll
explain.</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-63560523923871377052012-05-17T06:32:00.000-07:002012-05-30T13:41:46.609-07:00NAEIR, Next Generation: A look at NAEIR’s new webpage<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A little background<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JlrY64siFVGwJaDM5uYBo2z1XchNWjdIUsfWM9BqjmQENl9_YSONOp2ezj_4JIcc3GVZfnBLm9n8CPHfAFMsz9NGdo83tHKOVHDcAsvvHFpi3B_IVxXOWtPB8sWjWD6PJkJhUeFQdiFT/s1600/new+NAEIR+logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1JlrY64siFVGwJaDM5uYBo2z1XchNWjdIUsfWM9BqjmQENl9_YSONOp2ezj_4JIcc3GVZfnBLm9n8CPHfAFMsz9NGdo83tHKOVHDcAsvvHFpi3B_IVxXOWtPB8sWjWD6PJkJhUeFQdiFT/s200/new+NAEIR+logo.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new NAEIR logo</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As some of you may know, NAEIR recently launched its new
website (view it <a href="http://www.naeir.org/index.php">here</a>). After 12 years of the same webpage, it was
finally decided to bring about a new era in NAEIR’s online presence. The new
website includes significant updates and enhancements from the old one. For
example, when it was first created, and for some time after, a “truck” icon was
used for storing items on the webpage instead of the now ubiquitous shopping
cart.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now, along with the new website comes a new NAEIR logo and
tagline. The tagline which reads: “Empowering
Generosity” was the result of serious reflection on NAEIR’s partnering relationships
with its members and donors. According
to President Gary Smith, “we wanted to express in a concise manner, NAEIR’s
role as a medium that helps both America’s companies and charitable
organizations by serving as an efficient conduit for donations of excess,
slow-moving inventory that will benefit millions of lives.” </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSadZBMgeqpXlcnEFsLwSjI9fIMvGyfDVSoCElJKrkKVqk6l0OCwMXqIw-mdpcxtD_fAMWPdWbowb-6BmjWhPeNyZhYfhv8cpsjsgt562Vi0MCtm65odBnYZkGi7EnZtGE9XQmn48Pd6pe/s1600/screenshot+shop+NAEIR.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSadZBMgeqpXlcnEFsLwSjI9fIMvGyfDVSoCElJKrkKVqk6l0OCwMXqIw-mdpcxtD_fAMWPdWbowb-6BmjWhPeNyZhYfhv8cpsjsgt562Vi0MCtm65odBnYZkGi7EnZtGE9XQmn48Pd6pe/s200/screenshot+shop+NAEIR.bmp" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A screenshot of NAEIR's new website</span></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So…what’s different?</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At first glance, the new website offers up an attractive
array of colors that make the page very aesthetically pleasing. There are lots
of graphics that help illustrate what exactly NAEIR is, and this in tandem with
the rich display of colors makes the website kind of fun! I can click on the Member
tab and choose from a variety of options: Should I take the <a href="http://www.naeir.org/members/membership-quiz/">membership quiz</a> or
read about <a href="http://www.naeir.org/member-testimonials/">member success
stories</a>? The same is true for the Donor tab. This ease of navigation and overall
user-friendliness makes it a pleasure to use</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"> </span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">New benefits and
better features!</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The new website also offers a variety of new functions. For example, there is now a “<a href="http://catalog.naeir.org/">shop NAEIR</a>” section that allows anyone to
view products that are currently available.
Previously, only Active Members had the ability to do this. It is now also easier for Active Members to
navigate on the new website so as to see what products are available to them in
either the Big Book catalogue or the Best Values catalogue. A product search on the new website can be
conducted easily and efficiently. Previously,
if you typed in pen, for example, you might not get quite the results you’d
want. Now, when you type in <a href="http://catalog.naeir.org/Search/Results">pen</a> you get a targeted list of results in the Big
Book, Best Values, Overstock, and Clearance sections of NAEIR. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just the beginning<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYnGxOv5wRS9zrkizE8Nb31friJttxfenqQqt-VYnHhmjUEMIV-E-9dIKDfGpDOvzFPAGP84j4eJqSGjLVr6R6cL7VH4wkPqrcHmTiAER5GAjL0M6wcTR-Pncu5tzJgqtlppbIYCcHo8q/s1600/screenshot.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYYnGxOv5wRS9zrkizE8Nb31friJttxfenqQqt-VYnHhmjUEMIV-E-9dIKDfGpDOvzFPAGP84j4eJqSGjLVr6R6cL7VH4wkPqrcHmTiAER5GAjL0M6wcTR-Pncu5tzJgqtlppbIYCcHo8q/s200/screenshot.bmp" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>A look at the homepage of NAEIR's</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>new website</i></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is really just the beginning of the new NAEIR website. The website can and will be updated regularly
and on an on-going basis. According to Bob Gilstrap, Vice President and CFO of
NAEIR, “In the future, we plan to offer the capability for members to pay using
a credit card. Also, we are planning on
developing a Member maintenance area where Members can independently manage
their accounts. They’ll be able to view
requests that are in process as well as outstanding invoices, etc.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be on the lookout for more and exciting updates to the <a href="http://www.naeir.org/index.php">NAEIR webpage</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.</span>
</div>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-18485144750404981192012-05-08T07:49:00.000-07:002012-05-08T07:50:29.941-07:00NAEIR in the News<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHf9R0jAxWMxlHzeLAnb1UTNtKtKFmRw_St2Y0fum1WHj3RrbnqITgB3i6EBpJF_WDx5Qc6iCwQT_C_2J88cy8P62TKI0cvPtqEM-bwsrz_cKW6W5oakeWu4gMR0A1L0fsBbCBJWII7cI/s1600/paul+swanson+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwHf9R0jAxWMxlHzeLAnb1UTNtKtKFmRw_St2Y0fum1WHj3RrbnqITgB3i6EBpJF_WDx5Qc6iCwQT_C_2J88cy8P62TKI0cvPtqEM-bwsrz_cKW6W5oakeWu4gMR0A1L0fsBbCBJWII7cI/s200/paul+swanson+2.JPG" width="156" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paul Swanson, Calvary Christian</i><br />
<i>administration, poses at NAEIR's</i><br />
<i>Grab Bag</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out a story that prominently </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">mentions </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NAEIR in
The Pantagraph, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">a paper based out </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">of Bloomington, IL. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The story came about from </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">a blog </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://naeir.blogspot.com/2012/04/grab-bag-20-more-with-less.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">piece</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
that I wrote on Calvary Christian </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Academy and Grab Bag. </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I showed the </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">blog </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">piece
to Phyllis Coulter, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Pantagraph reporter, </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">and she </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">decided to write her own piece </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">about </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">NAEIR and Calvary. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Read it </span><a href="http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/nonprofit-group-a-cost-saving-source-for-calvary-christian/article_b8ae0f46-9705-11e1-9234-001a4bcf887a.html" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">here</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-42728107163383481922012-05-08T06:09:00.000-07:002012-05-08T06:09:58.102-07:00Mystery Tour, Part II: "Too Good to be True"<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYBei4bdNfM3tXjCECGdvx1uxYjBnRhx9cT6TLpq5HUBnk30VHGfqh-eBPRsY6jRA_M3wB6yDr3EBB4wPpng51FXu6RRT0xToXPcT4WJ2hQfFNC99BhP-byyXixVCT8rcisqoFaRodK2t/s1600/tour+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKYBei4bdNfM3tXjCECGdvx1uxYjBnRhx9cT6TLpq5HUBnk30VHGfqh-eBPRsY6jRA_M3wB6yDr3EBB4wPpng51FXu6RRT0xToXPcT4WJ2hQfFNC99BhP-byyXixVCT8rcisqoFaRodK2t/s200/tour+3.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tim Randall, VP of Distribution<br />showing members of the tour NAEIR's<br />warehouse. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">On
the tour of NAEIR the group from R&J "mystery" tours seemed eager and engaged as Tim Randall (VP of Distribution at NAEIR) walked and talked
his way through the warehouse. They asked a multitude of questions about the
different kinds of products NAEIR solicits from companies throughout the
country. They also asked who some of the
organization’s donor companies are and also had questions about the size
(13,000) of NAEIR’s membership as well as the types of member organizations
NAEIR serves.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
had the opportunity to speak with a few of the individuals on the tour about
their experience with the tour company and their thoughts about NAEIR. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Janice
Kammermeier, from central Minnesota, was on the tour with her husband and
commented afterward that organizations like NAEIR made her “feel good about the
world.” Janice had been on a few mystery tours before this one, but none had
been to a place like NAEIR. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS3_Nl6hgwb5ij_6dKkR3I2AEleVckOu4LfOpQs7cs9DlgzB8ywbRNGAh8oQAFZpjB13vJM2FRkIdmjqpQNUibUYHCAM-AQQceOA-80JZkCAaWR-XwdMk3WYZnc_VDMYhYEHzH4oc8EMI/s1600/scissors+on+tour.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS3_Nl6hgwb5ij_6dKkR3I2AEleVckOu4LfOpQs7cs9DlgzB8ywbRNGAh8oQAFZpjB13vJM2FRkIdmjqpQNUibUYHCAM-AQQceOA-80JZkCAaWR-XwdMk3WYZnc_VDMYhYEHzH4oc8EMI/s200/scissors+on+tour.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tim Randall shows tour members<br />one of the items NAEIR has in<br />its warehouse: scissors. </i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Harold
Mattke, a retired insurance underwriter from St. Louis Park, MN, toted his
digital camera on the tour, snapping photos of a variety of products, the group
itself, and the warehouse. He confided
to me that he was awestruck at how big the NAEIR warehouse was. He was surprised that he had never heard of
an organization like NAEIR before. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As
we finished the tour I talked with Cheryl Lommel and Marlys Hopke, - both from
St. Cloud, MN, about their overall impressions of NAEIR. Cheryl’s comment
- “It’s seems too good to be true”
really encapsulates the group mentality. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
collective gasp when Tim announced that there was about $178 million dollars worth
of product in the warehouse, the genuine interest in how organizations can
become a part of NAEIR, and the unabashed curiosity on the part of the group - emphasize
the impact that NAEIR has – not only with respect to its members, but on just
about anyone that’s given the opportunity to take a walk through NAEIR’s
warehouse. <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3125491056502299396" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-9936297481963465092012-05-03T06:26:00.001-07:002012-05-07T11:46:12.125-07:00NAEIR is First Stop on Mystery Tour<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzpjrzZvGEvnk_XQ-ZrFkbIXI7GsOOd966C2u-vdJ4OpE3clf_x9gJ9IV1lJEkiZUE5sihzDVlwUBwB9cd-5dIzRaN2e5tkhZzjO_h0ArebnYS0fTCWc4KN9rwmQUWRfgBTvNzQ3AUao6/s1600/bob+and+break+room.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLzpjrzZvGEvnk_XQ-ZrFkbIXI7GsOOd966C2u-vdJ4OpE3clf_x9gJ9IV1lJEkiZUE5sihzDVlwUBwB9cd-5dIzRaN2e5tkhZzjO_h0ArebnYS0fTCWc4KN9rwmQUWRfgBTvNzQ3AUao6/s200/bob+and+break+room.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Bob Clark talks to the tour<br />group in NAEIR's break room</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Operating
out of Willmar, MN, R&J Tours, organizes and hosts “mystery” tours for
senior citizens. Last week’s mystery tour landed the group in Galesburg, IL where
they were able to spend some time at the NAEIR facility as well as the
Galesburg Railroad Museum. I met up with the group and interacted with them as
they toured NAEIR’s warehouse. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’m
told that this particular group made up the largest tour that has ever gone
through NAEIR. There were about 40 individuals from all over Minnesota and
Wisconsin. They drove to Rock Island, IL the day before, arriving in Galesburg the
next day. Except the tour guide, no one else in the group knew where they were
headed until they actually got to NAEIR that morning. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIzcp345Xw8ztxcYeXIDI-tTfxIlbuyZzOnsQg18ttPgX676Nf8ODyzmLrF-WImYaCm5FdF7Q3tVuE3E0_8jZaRF0BMFZ077ecjiGQYdYJLdQ2yPOwsdLcEjTiXpyPpuCyzJIyuSxGtqT/s1600/NAEIR+BUILDING+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmIzcp345Xw8ztxcYeXIDI-tTfxIlbuyZzOnsQg18ttPgX676Nf8ODyzmLrF-WImYaCm5FdF7Q3tVuE3E0_8jZaRF0BMFZ077ecjiGQYdYJLdQ2yPOwsdLcEjTiXpyPpuCyzJIyuSxGtqT/s200/NAEIR+BUILDING+1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The NAEIR building</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The
group made their way into the lobby, through the reception area down the
corridor past NAEIR’s IT and Member Advocate offices and into the office area
Break Room where Bob Clark NAEIR’s Director of Human Resources related the
history and mission of the organization. Cruz Ramos, VP of Public Affairs,
briefly talked about legislation on the federal level that NAEIR is working
with legislators to try and get passed. Tim Randall, VP of Distribution, led us
on a tour of the warehouse. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I
did my best to bring up the rear while the group proceeded through NAEIR’s
450,000 square foot warehouse. While
following the tour group, I spoke briefly with Linda Weitsberg, the tour guide,
about R&J Tours. Linda told me that they had chosen to come to NAEIR on the
recommendation of the Galesburg Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Stay
tuned for part two of story in which I talk to some of the people on the tour.</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-69637891805032837572012-04-27T09:52:00.003-07:002012-04-27T12:06:32.485-07:00Congressman Ron Paul Co-sponsors S Corp Bill<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YX4JNff4FKY/T5rOi17tFWI/AAAAAAAAAHI/c1A2cofRS08/s1600/FileRon_Paul,_official_Congressional_photo_portrait,_2007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YX4JNff4FKY/T5rOi17tFWI/AAAAAAAAAHI/c1A2cofRS08/s1600/FileRon_Paul,_official_Congressional_photo_portrait,_2007.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Congressman Ron Paul, [TX-14]</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Recently Congressman Ron Paul [TX-14], joined Congressmen Bobby Schilling [IL-17] and Danny Davis [IL-7] in co-sponsoring HR 2592; the Charitable Contribution Parity & Enhancement Act. Aaron Schock [IL-18], is the bill's sponsor. <br />
<br />
We're pleased that Congressman Paul is getting behind a bill that extends enhanced tax benefits to S Corporations and other small businesses when they donate excess, discontinued inventory to charities. From a tax standpoint, if passed, HR 2592 would level the playing field for smaller businesses in that they would realize the same tax benefits that C Corporations already enjoy on product donations to nonprofits, schools and church organizations - product that might otherwise wind up in landfills. <br />
<br />
On becoming aware of the Congressman's decision, Gary C. Smith, NAEIR's President & CEO said "Over the course of his longtime service on Capital Hill, Congressman Paul has consistently championed the nation's entrepreneurial spirit as embodied in our vital small business community. In addition, he has routinely heralded the importance of charitable organizations across the country as effective and efficient providers of much needed social services and materials to our country's struggling communities."<br />
<br />
It's not surprising then, that Congressman Ron Paul would choose to co-sponsor the Charitable Contribution Parity & Enhancement Act. The benefits nationally to small business and the charitable community that would result from passage of the bill are clearly in line with Congressman Paul's deeply held principles.<br />
<br />
Thank you Congressman and welcome aboard!<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-24354655659175527842012-04-19T12:36:00.002-07:002012-04-19T14:30:57.857-07:00Member Says NAEIR Trip is "An Incredible Story"<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Recently, the Calhoons - Dee and her husband Cal,
representing Trinity Church of the Nazarene - a NAEIR member in Independence, Missouri, made the
six hour drive to NAEIR in Galesburg, IL. Their mission was to pick up their
Catalog allocation and spend some time in Grab Bag the following day so as to
capitalize on their visit and fill up their truck with any additional product.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Things didn’t exactly work out as they’d expected. Upon arriving at Galesburg’s Fairfield Inn,
their pick-up’s fuel pump went out on them.
It being late in the day Monday, there wasn’t much they could do but
wait until the following morning.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What transpired following their fuel pump’s demise is
telling. Dee and Cal of course, were
very likely not happy with what had just taken place but did the best they
could under the circumstances. It’s
probably safe to say that their spirits were lifted some by the encouragement
they received along the way from a few NAEIR employees.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwjXf1UXB9M/T5BqljPIgnI/AAAAAAAAAG4/SDkNYmBuu94/s1600/Calhoon%252C+Howard+Dee.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QwjXf1UXB9M/T5BqljPIgnI/AAAAAAAAAG4/SDkNYmBuu94/s320/Calhoon%252C+Howard+Dee.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dee & Cal Calhoon, Trinity Church of the Nazarene,<br />
Independence, MO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
First thing Tuesday, they contacted Yemm Auto; one of
Galesburg’s dealerships. Their repair
shop began work on Dee and Cal’s vehicle and arranged for a free shuttle that
would drop them off at the NAEIR facility.
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The pick-up mishap didn’t get in the way of their primary
mission. Dee and Cal were able to take
full advantage of their time at NAEIR. Along with their Catalog allocation they were able to go through Grab Bag picking out
some useful items they would later be able to take back with them to Independence. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As Dee and Cal still had to wait for the work to be done on
their vehicle, Steve Adams, NAEIR’s Grab Bag Supervisor, escorted them over to
the office area and introduced them to Lindsay Schisler their Member Advocate. Lindsay took Dee and Cal on a tour of NAEIR’s
offices and warehouse. Not too long after their tour, while waiting at a picnic bench
immediately outside of the Grab Bag area, their pick-up arrived in good working
order.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMM3kPuAx94/T5BqsCbA4NI/AAAAAAAAAHA/4U8yD1oSBLo/s1600/Trinity+2010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SMM3kPuAx94/T5BqsCbA4NI/AAAAAAAAAHA/4U8yD1oSBLo/s320/Trinity+2010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Trinity Church of the Nazarene, Independence, MO</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
True to form, Steve Adams and Rickey Bodenhamer,
Picker-Packer/Processor helped load the trailer during what would normally be Rickey’s
break time and well after Grab Bag’s normal operating hours. Apparently Dee and Cal had pulled into Grab Bag
fairly close to the noon hour and by the time their vehicle was returned to
them at NAEIR, it was likely after 2PM.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Linda Dickerson, a representative of Trinity Church of the
Nazarene, in a note to us shortly after Dee and Cal’s adventure expressed
thanks for the efforts and selflessness evident among NAEIR’s employees. This was particularly true in the case of
Steve Adams, Rickey Bodenhamer and Lindsay Schisler, just a few of NAEIR’s
“finest”. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Following is Linda's note:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;">Subject:</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;"><b> An incredible story</b></span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Kelly,</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Linda Dickerson
here from Trinity Church of the Nazarene.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">We sent a couple
with a truck and trailer down the road to Galesburg on Monday, April 16, 2012.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">Upon arriving at
the Fairfield Inn just a few blocks from your warehouse, the <u>fuel pump</u><br />
went out in the truck. You can only imagine how they felt when this
happened. A series of <br />
events happened next from a free shuttle over to the warehouse for “grab bag”
as well as<br />
the gentleman who loaded the trailer on his break time. Dee and Cal knew
they pulled into<br />
the dock at nearly the final hour. Rather than you or your organization
turning them away,<br />
everyone pulled together to help deliver our order. I wish I knew
the man’s name who loaded their <br />
vehicle for them on his break. He deserves a special hand shake and more
for his kind, selfless service.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;">We along with Dee
and Cal thank you for all of your kindness </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;">Linda J. Dickerson</span></b><o:p></o:p><br />
<b><span style="color: #c00000; font-family: 'Monotype Corsiva'; font-size: 18pt;"><br /></span></b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.</span>
</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-89119614420364903142012-04-12T07:16:00.000-07:002012-04-12T07:27:38.946-07:00Grab Bag Revisited: A Tale of Two Schools<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earlier this week I walked over to NAEIR’s Grab Bag area to meet with a couple of member
organization representatives – that have different approaches to Grab Bag as
well as different sets of needs from those members I interviewed in my Grab Bag
<a href="http://naeir.blogspot.com/2012/03/grab-bag-10-family-affair.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Naeir-AGiftsInKindNon-profit-FreeProductsForNon-profits+%28NAEIR+-+a+Gifts+In+Kind+Non-Profit+-+Free+products+for+non-profits%29">1.0</a>,
<a href="http://naeir.blogspot.com/2012/04/grab-bag-20-more-with-less.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Naeir-AGiftsInKindNon-profit-FreeProductsForNon-profits+%28NAEIR+-+a+Gifts+In+Kind+Non-Profit+-+Free+products+for+non-profits%29">2.0</a>,
and <a href="http://naeir.blogspot.com/2012/04/grab-bag-30-its-like-christmas-morning.html">3.0</a>
posts. During this particular visit I
talked with representatives from Visitation Elementary School and
Edgewood-Colesburg Elementary School; two long-time NAEIR members.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlWIuLNHdhsF_lJd5jGlYvrmR7EAO39RaLsYS9agLn5XBI81R907y_vgx5vtM_VU6_eHAQuOFGtg22eVNdqjCqYwexCtyK3z98nw6IrMOAL9wbAMbqjLoQRtvtVDPVNDztducFjXEcMSQ/s1600/Mac+Olsen.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUlWIuLNHdhsF_lJd5jGlYvrmR7EAO39RaLsYS9agLn5XBI81R907y_vgx5vtM_VU6_eHAQuOFGtg22eVNdqjCqYwexCtyK3z98nw6IrMOAL9wbAMbqjLoQRtvtVDPVNDztducFjXEcMSQ/s200/Mac+Olsen.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Mac Olsen, an administrator at<br />Edgewood-Colesburg Elementary<br />School, with her Grab Bag finds.</i>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I spent some time with Susan Welgat of Visitation Elementary
School; a Catholic school in Kewanee, IL, about 45 minutes away from the NAEIR
facility. Although Welgat has been a member of NAEIR since its founding in
1977, she’s actually been coming to Grab Bag since NAEIR’s move from the
Chicago area to Galesburg, IL in 1986. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welgat was candid in pointing out that even though that
morning’s Grab Bag finds weren’t the best she had ever come across, they were
still pretty good pickings. For one thing, she came across garlands that her
organization will use as decorations for the school’s upcoming craft bazaar. She also found a fully functional and
comfortable office chair that she would be taking back to the school. In the past,
Welgat has found some really useful items for Visitation including a variety of
teacher supplies as well as napkins, office supplies, ribbon, and paper
products.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Immediately after my time with Susan Welgat, I spoke with
Mac Olsen of Edgewood-Colesburg Elementary School in Colesburg, IA, about 2 1/2
hours away. Olsen told me that her
school has been a member forever. At the
time, she couldn’t specifically remember how many years, but apparently the school
system has been using NAEIR since as far back as NAEIR has been at its current
location. That would make it a 26 year
relationship. Olsen visits Grab Bag every
time her school is eligible for a visit, i.e. - five times a year. Over the years they have accumulated a
plethora of money saving finds from Grab Bag.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Olsen picked up some Christmas decorations she’ll be using
later in the year and some materials like paper supplies, ribbon, and teacher
specialty items suitable for craft related projects. In the past, Olsen has also come across cabinetry
as well as counter tops, allowing the school to move forward on some needed
renovations without incurring a huge cost. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No matter the type of member organization, the thrust of
Grab Bag remains the same. As was seen
in the examples of Calvary Lighthouse, Truth Ministries, and Calvary Christian
Academy during my previous posts - Grab Bag represents a valuable money saving
asset for virtually any organization. NAEIR members, who are overwhelmingly creative
and forward-thinking in their approach to Grab Bag, make the most of the
experience. They will often further add
to the savings of requesting, say, one pallet of goods from the catalogue, by
filling up on stuff they find in Grab Bag. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSiHqP_GlZZYaWZvaPOS-o0aXyVOIfWpBEh1kxhFltDyNOTsaQPGg9PFy62M20YdpmUVN92K-wO0z3pEz6DpMRkEUIveZlq6o2CiolJQIEAwoAxR5VWeT_NxnjKp9DSCClvaX0q8YeeC-/s1600/walt+steve+and+slyde.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiSiHqP_GlZZYaWZvaPOS-o0aXyVOIfWpBEh1kxhFltDyNOTsaQPGg9PFy62M20YdpmUVN92K-wO0z3pEz6DpMRkEUIveZlq6o2CiolJQIEAwoAxR5VWeT_NxnjKp9DSCClvaX0q8YeeC-/s200/walt+steve+and+slyde.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>From left to right: Clyde Sahn and<br />Walt Woodthorp from Wise Resources in<br />Wausau, WI along with Steve Adams, Grab<br />Bag supervisor, pose with their truck full <br />of items from Grab Bag.</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">NAEIR members will come from all over in order to capitalize
on the opportunity to go through Grab Bag. Today, I talked with members that
were as far as 2 1/2 hours away. Earlier
talks a couple of weeks back with members featured Jonathan Eklof- who drove 7 hours from Anoka, Minnesota.
Sue Birky and Ann Good traveled 4 hours
from Kouts, IN in order to come to NAEIR’s Grab Bag, as did Carl Thomas from
Radiant Life Church in Festus, MO. In fact, NAEIR members as far away as
California on the West coast and Pennsylvania on the East coast have driven to
Galesburg, IL in order to take advantage of the Grab Bag experience while
picking up their Catalog allocations. This
just goes to show that members find great value in Grab Bag. Creative,
resourceful member representatives combined with the mystery of not really
knowing what “treasures” they might find from one visit to the next, make for productive
Grab Bag experiences.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If that isn’t a way of “serving America’s schools and
nonprofits through corporate inventory donations” I’m not sure what is!</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-50212449897395913352012-04-05T06:29:00.000-07:002012-04-10T08:18:11.855-07:00Grab Bag 3.0: "It's Like Christmas Morning"<br />
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Jonathan Eklof, an administrator at Truth Ministries (a
collection of small churches in Minnesota that reaches out to about 200
low-income families to provide food and supplies), didn’t originally intend to
visit Grab Bag on the day I was interviewing. He had come to pick up a load of five pallets
of garbage can liners and had already pretty much maxed out his weight limit
for his truck.</div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fB8z-CI4yV_h532uTjvccNQiA5FLsf9N5oxAewNAWhBNWFUnuP7bb3sNC0GwpRJWoQ5c8799OiiAFUzB_MHzwrv9VyN8Fwaj7qg6eioWqE9M35rm7w4Adi0bfWUlK4ECL6yZ67nZhz3i/s1600/jonathan+ekloy+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fB8z-CI4yV_h532uTjvccNQiA5FLsf9N5oxAewNAWhBNWFUnuP7bb3sNC0GwpRJWoQ5c8799OiiAFUzB_MHzwrv9VyN8Fwaj7qg6eioWqE9M35rm7w4Adi0bfWUlK4ECL6yZ67nZhz3i/s200/jonathan+ekloy+2.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Jonathan Eklof, an administrator<br />at Truth Ministries, with his truck full<br />of garbage can liners</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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However, the lure of taking a walk through Grab Bag was too
powerful to resist. Eklof likens Grab Bag to Christmas morning; you never know
what you’re going to unwrap, or in the case of Grab Bag - find. He admitted that this particular Grab Bag
visit didn’t result in his unearthing anything in Grab Bag as “huge” as he’s
discovered in previous visits. It did
appear however that between the loose-leaf dividers and binders that Truth
Ministries would use to put together training manuals and
the Catalog order he’d come to pick up that
day that Eklof was pleased with the outcome of his visit to Galesburg. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Over the years Eklof has found some really useful items in
Grab Bag. Just last year, he picked up
about a thousand pounds of paper that allowed Truth Ministries to cut down on
their otherwise very expensive printing costs. Eklof had to cut the paper himself, but it was
a small price to pay to be able to do <i>more
with less</i>. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Truth Ministries originally joined NAEIR in 1991, but had to discontinue their
membership a few years ago due to budget concerns. They joined up again last year and have been
coming to Grab Bag routinely since. </div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhargkmABUhl3gyyoXYzMs6bT9hj92GGb-pKBzUhXh1OUd7DAoUwEpqu_urK_qIhgWCFefA3mrT6EHoXHpElzsuOTkX69F5ct7V99HLDp1EfEJ8NvKi1cEMPmanF1nksnCG4OUHwMpoUp3R/s1600/paul+and+marsha+troese.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhargkmABUhl3gyyoXYzMs6bT9hj92GGb-pKBzUhXh1OUd7DAoUwEpqu_urK_qIhgWCFefA3mrT6EHoXHpElzsuOTkX69F5ct7V99HLDp1EfEJ8NvKi1cEMPmanF1nksnCG4OUHwMpoUp3R/s200/paul+and+marsha+troese.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paul and Marsha Troese, members<br />of Illinois District United Pentecostal<br />Church in Naperville, pose with </i><br />
<i>their </i><i>Grab Bag finds</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
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Most organizations that come through Grab Bag have a similar
purpose, a common goal - - to help others. This almost universally shared
perspective on the part of NAEIR’s visiting members and Grab Bag staff <a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3125491056502299396" name="_GoBack"></a>alike is part of the very essence of Grab Bag; organizations
taking care of their respective constituencies and helping each other. For me, this was the most striking aspect of
the Grab Bag experience. As a newcomer
to NAEIR, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I was asked to speak with
some of the organization’s members. Perhaps in my mind I imagined different members
fighting over the one, last first aid kit. What I actually encountered was a
community spirit, a sense of family that has affirmed my belief in the work of
NAEIR and its members. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-12328495295701161602012-04-03T06:28:00.002-07:002012-04-19T08:40:16.239-07:00Grab Bag 2.0: More With Less<br />
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
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Paul Swanson is an administrator at the Calvary Christian
Academy, a K-12 school that aims at delivering the best possible Christian
education to its students located in Normal, IL. I got a
chance to sit down and talk with Swanson about how and why he uses Grab Bag. Swanson
has been a member of NAEIR for over 20 years and visits Grab Bag every time he
comes to pick up an order. Swanson noted the importance of NAEIR overall to his
school, and specifically Grab Bag as a means to cut costs and provide not just
educational materials for his students, but items that administrators, teachers
and families they serve can use. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm9bT5b-KT1aZWAcP74crXL6TvdGlsL8JTKjlI3mXdPqDPXZhwR-6dkQ3qcAG8qC4KZE_irGwir4shR2VAAffbtGxQ2Z-5Ltq_J7-mQxgsa9i0JMC_usDw9hlJrisMbQugisNPXHXbEQL/s1600/paul+swanson+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="131" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPm9bT5b-KT1aZWAcP74crXL6TvdGlsL8JTKjlI3mXdPqDPXZhwR-6dkQ3qcAG8qC4KZE_irGwir4shR2VAAffbtGxQ2Z-5Ltq_J7-mQxgsa9i0JMC_usDw9hlJrisMbQugisNPXHXbEQL/s200/paul+swanson+3.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Paul Swanson, an administrator at Calvary<br />Christian Academy, with his Grab Bag finds</i> </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Swanson was able to find a slew of useful items for the
school. David Mairs, of Calvary Lighthouse (who I introduced you to in <a href="http://naeir.blogspot.com/2012/03/grab-bag-10-family-affair.html">Grab Bag 1.0: A Family Affair</a>) let him
know about the pallet of first aid kits that Calvary Christian Academy turned
out to have a great need for. Swanson
also found gift bags and office supplies that a number of the school's hard working teachers will make use of in their classrooms along with a DVD science series that many of the schools programs and classes will use as well.</div>
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Swanson brought NAEIR to the Calvary Christian Academy’s
attention about five years ago when he first started working there. He was
already familiar with NAEIR at a public school where he had previously worked
and when he arrived at Calvary was able to present NAEIR as a valuable resource
that the school could use. In Swanson’s opinion, the best thing about NAEIR is
that it “allows us to offer more to whatever ministry we serve at a reasonable
price.” </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwhRW42MGHrMrZftckLsDYMKNqnyT_UDtnrT9UgMOaOr5CLgo3JgktxO3zuy1hzx5cjA3uuA3ipQgKqIqmx5FSWLL_rRusz9QfFs2dN3NuQmrLXq4hmPNMymSmJiFvClVFKnqvBuixSox/s1600/sue+birky+and+ann+good.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwhRW42MGHrMrZftckLsDYMKNqnyT_UDtnrT9UgMOaOr5CLgo3JgktxO3zuy1hzx5cjA3uuA3ipQgKqIqmx5FSWLL_rRusz9QfFs2dN3NuQmrLXq4hmPNMymSmJiFvClVFKnqvBuixSox/s200/sue+birky+and+ann+good.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Sue Birky and Ann Good, members<br />of Open Door Fellowship in Kouts IN, pose with<br />some of the items they found at Grab Bag</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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And that is really the heart of Grab Bag. For
members, Grab Bag visits represent a phenomenal value, particularly whenever they come to pick up an order. They
get 4 or 5 (depending on membership level) visits a year and many members take
full advantage of this. Moreover, as
Steve Adams points out - the members that visit Grab Bag are very creative. Swanson, for example, commented on how he was
able to use different items that he’d found in Grab Bag for purposes they
weren’t originally intended for. He
specifically talked about how during the spring, Calvary puts together Mission
boxes that go to needy children. He often finds small items in Grab Bag that
can later be put into these boxes, such as, random hair accessories, and
personal care products. </div>
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<br /></div>
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As both Mairs and Swanson have established, NAEIR’s Grab Bag
has allowed their organizations to do more with less. Budgets are tight for any group with the kind
of goals that Calvary Christian Academy and Calvary Lighthouse have. Jonathan Eklof, an administrator at Truth
Ministries, exemplifies this type of attitude as well. His organization has also been able to
effectively cut costs through their Grab Bag visits.</div>
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</div>
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Stay tuned for the final Grab Bag installment in which I talk
to Jonathan Eklof. </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-21478015998119905162012-03-29T08:30:00.000-07:002012-04-10T08:18:47.307-07:00Grab Bag 1.0: A Family Affair<br />
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At first glance NAEIR’s Grab Bag area seems unorganized, maybe
even a little chaotic and challenging to navigate. I suspect this may well be by design. A closer look reveals that these very characteristics
are some of the greatest things about Grab Bag; you never know what you might
find. From one day to the next things change – product disappears, or seems
to. Product is replenished. New items are added. There’s a strong
compulsion to linger over many of the items you come across as you walk through
this area. On any given, day –
especially early in the day, people and product alike sometimes move quickly,
at other times members linger over certain items - with Steve Adams helping members while
maintaining a sense of organization as best he can. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIchnFe7n8Al-qAwr6R_Ch_mlX_DBUvTRDHloTriZnuXh66o_qspZu0-30g_zweBHoa7cDRkVrhrGkTo_RkH-o3ZNBF-L-SKtNAZB5G1XTQVGZMFe8mPtCW_2_IoTf_jcVkJUBLv8WreLK/s1600/steve+adams+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIchnFe7n8Al-qAwr6R_Ch_mlX_DBUvTRDHloTriZnuXh66o_qspZu0-30g_zweBHoa7cDRkVrhrGkTo_RkH-o3ZNBF-L-SKtNAZB5G1XTQVGZMFe8mPtCW_2_IoTf_jcVkJUBLv8WreLK/s200/steve+adams+3.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Steve Adams, Grab Bag Supervisor</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
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Having said this, I need to make something very clear. A minute (if that) with Steve Adams, Grab Bag
Supervisor, communicates an obvious commitment in overseeing Grab Bag. Anything less than maintaining a
well-organized operation is not in his make-up.
Steve strives daily to make sense of an area that members are encouraged
to take full advantage of. They make
every effort to unearth hidden treasure not always in plain sight, and will
move heaven and earth – not to mention cartons, pallets, rolls of fabric,
office supplies, wall-coverings and many more items too numerous to list here.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Last week I talked with three people from three different
member organizations that have visited Grab Bag for years. </div>
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<br /></div>
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All three organizations share a common goal: to create
programs and fund projects for people in need.
Each had a unique approach and each sought a different mix of product in
Grab Bag.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I first met David Mairs, a business administrator at Calvary
Lighthouse, an Assembly of God church in Rochelle, IL. Lighthouse runs programs for kids of all
ages, has a youth ministry and supports local missions such as food banks. Calvary Lighthouse has benefitted greatly in
its 15 plus years as a member of NAEIR. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-O1JynzQIN2R2Xs4vmiKwHpip403yooc6DAob7Pk9lXNF0pfTRYi2vbUt8rjpxw91ljc1lYxilnSRMjbbo4jjBni6xCaT5FYBUJAGOSW-uMLWu9IEhZVhjJHIRqht-MbhPfo0VeN-8gy/s1600/david+maris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu-O1JynzQIN2R2Xs4vmiKwHpip403yooc6DAob7Pk9lXNF0pfTRYi2vbUt8rjpxw91ljc1lYxilnSRMjbbo4jjBni6xCaT5FYBUJAGOSW-uMLWu9IEhZVhjJHIRqht-MbhPfo0VeN-8gy/s200/david+maris.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>David Mairs, a business administrator<br />at Calvary Lighthouse, poses with his<br />grab bag finds</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
During this Grab Bag visit Mairs found all sorts of great
educational supplies that will help with the Lighthouse’s after school programs,
as well as some basic janitorial and maintenance supplies that help cut down on
their overall budget. Savings realized
through their Grab Bag visits allow them to direct budget resources more toward
their organization’s core mission.</div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
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Mairs says he has a particular attitude in mind when coming
to Grab Bag. He’s always looking
ahead. As Mairs surveys and in some
cases more carefully examines many of the products on pallets, he’s thoughtful
about what his organization might be able to use three to six months and often
as far out as a year in advance. On this trip, Mairs found 20 piñatas that he
will use in October for Lighthouse’s Annual Harvest Festival. </div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nGgmAmOYnpglIcKGKZ33zYJceamz9PsoQOr1KwQAxoBvWxFlAKdKSnJ4fzZfpRYl8Ek3YBynggQw1JaUkq91BiVEA67j63kAYMZuIrAohTPKQEK4DN8k09fsuR8sXfMGCNtLX-eJhzdz/s1600/carl+thomas.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nGgmAmOYnpglIcKGKZ33zYJceamz9PsoQOr1KwQAxoBvWxFlAKdKSnJ4fzZfpRYl8Ek3YBynggQw1JaUkq91BiVEA67j63kAYMZuIrAohTPKQEK4DN8k09fsuR8sXfMGCNtLX-eJhzdz/s200/carl+thomas.JPG" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Carl Thomas, a first time visitor<br />to Grab Bag from Radiant Life Church in </i><br />
<i>Festus, MO</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Something else that I observed as being apparent in Grab Bag
that I noticed first through Mairs is the commitment organizations have toward
helping one another. As Steve Adams points
out “grab bag is really a family thing.” He explained that the Grab Bag
experience helps to further cement the relationship that NAEIR wants to
establish with its members. Grab Bag
provides us with opportunities to show members what NAEIR at its core, is all
about. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Relationships among members are interesting in their own
right as well. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
</div>
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Since the organizations all have a common goal, they’re all
willing to work together toward that goal. For example, while I was in Grab Bag
Mairs happened across a pallet of first aid kits. First aid kits in Grab Bag
are considered a gold mine. Mairs took the few first aid kits that he felt his organization could use and then alerted
other members in Grab Bag to the fact that this was a great item that he knew others
could make use of as well. This is when
I met Paul Swanson, an administrator at Calvary Christian Academy.</div>
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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Stay tuned for the next installation about Grab Bag, in
which I talk to Paul Swanson. </div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-23210412787580620102012-03-27T13:21:00.000-07:002012-04-04T13:51:07.982-07:00HR 2592 Top Trending On Popvox.com & A Greater Bill WebsitesOn the popvox.com website - <a href="https://www.popvox.com/bills#tab=trending">https://www.popvox.com/bills#tab=trending</a> , HR 2592 ranks 5th among the top 13 trending bills nationally! <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_R_Qs0NYzPk/T3I_xbkvtqI/AAAAAAAAAGw/uEYiotEBb3k/s1600/POPVOX_LOGO-V_RGB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="173" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_R_Qs0NYzPk/T3I_xbkvtqI/AAAAAAAAAGw/uEYiotEBb3k/s200/POPVOX_LOGO-V_RGB.png" width="200" /></a></div>
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<br />
The Charitable Contribution Parity & Enhancement Act is at the very<b> top</b> of a list of over 40 Taxation issue area related bills within the social work, volunteer services and charitable organization category for this site. The bill is clearly drawing the attention of nonprofits, schools and churches in the U.S. as well as the small business community. Just take a look at a few of the many comments posted - <a href="https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr2592/report#nation">https://www.popvox.com/bills/us/112/hr2592/report#nation</a>. <br />
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On this - <a href="http://www.agreater.us/ratereview.php">http://www.agreater.us/ratereview.php</a>, agreater.us website - HR 2592 is # 1 in top trending national bi-partisan legislation under both the Corporate Tax as well as the Poverty Alleviation categories. <br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qxq4_obbdtw/T3Il7nmmdpI/AAAAAAAAAGo/C0RNURoHv3s/s1600/4df0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qxq4_obbdtw/T3Il7nmmdpI/AAAAAAAAAGo/C0RNURoHv3s/s200/4df0.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
This is evidence of the strong bi-partisan nature of this legislation. It ranks #2 among <b>all topics</b> listed, on a website that seeks to bring genuinely bi-partisan legislation to the attention of legislators and the public at large!<br />
<br />
Go to: <a href="http://pvox.co/AFDMzV">http://pvox.co/AFDMzV</a> and <a href="http://www.agreater.us/billpage.php?id=384">http://www.agreater.us/billpage.php?id=384</a> and support HR2592. While at each stop, take a good look around. You'll find other noteworthy legislation and of course - opportunities to register your opinion as well.<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-36492973856192567042012-03-27T06:44:00.000-07:002012-03-27T07:11:51.572-07:00Welcome Zoe!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’d like to introduce Zoe Marzluff. Currently a student at Knox College here in Galesburg, Illinois, Zoe will be working with us as an intern in NAEIR’s Public Affairs department. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She’ll be contributing to this Blog in the near future as well as to the NAEIR Facebook page. While she’s at it, she’ll of course be learning a great deal about NAEIR in general. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This past week Zoe met some NAEIR members visiting our Grab Bag area. She’ll soon be featuring some of the highlights related to her time with them. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswPb3AZQfGJIDKhaWxcEGXRvX-g8ypEgfoGAcH8otE4Vnn2TTjohpJKYym7iWqQOFqCW70Kvi4jOcw3CMdkFxKfom7HV3YyGJ139vmzd54JbZXIVZEsjAIRmGiAy7psxqMCKXd7whlLeE/s1600/zoe.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" dea="true" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhswPb3AZQfGJIDKhaWxcEGXRvX-g8ypEgfoGAcH8otE4Vnn2TTjohpJKYym7iWqQOFqCW70Kvi4jOcw3CMdkFxKfom7HV3YyGJ139vmzd54JbZXIVZEsjAIRmGiAy7psxqMCKXd7whlLeE/s200/zoe.JPG" width="160" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe Marzluff</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe is already aware of NAEIR’s efforts in the legislative realm on behalf of charities and small businesses and will also be sharing her thoughts in this area.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe is originally from Seattle, WA. She’s a first-year student at Knox, studying international relations. She’s very interested in charitable organizations and sees interning at NAEIR as a means of gaining experience in the nonprofit sector as well as improving her written and oral communication skills. These are critical for the development of ideas and arguments that she will eventually employ in an international relations career.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe enjoys reading and listening to as much music as possible. She’s one of the first-year representatives of Knox’s Student Senate and plays flute with the flute choir. She’s a member of the Knox Frisbee team and runs whenever she gets the chance. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe hopes to gain experience and the skills necessary at NAEIR to further achieve her goal of someday working as a diplomat at an international nonprofit.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Zoe is excited to be at NAEIR and over the next couple of months looks forward to learning as much as she can about our organization and the people who contribute to making it successful.</span></div>
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<br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-51607163545424171632012-03-26T14:53:00.000-07:002012-03-27T06:29:09.695-07:00Get On Board And Support HR 2592This past Friday, Gary emailed all of our donor companies as well as those that have registered interest in NAEIR over the years to go to <a href="http://pvox.co/AFDMzV">http://pvox.co/AFDMzV</a> and support HR 2592. For those of you unfamiliar with this legislation, suffice it to say that its passage would allow small businesses to get an enhanced federal tax deduction when they donate their excess, discontinued inventory to qualifying charitable organizations. <br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMk_VxjNMFk/T3Dk7f0atwI/AAAAAAAAAGY/PBCJ-j9In3o/s1600/NAEIR+BUILDING+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iMk_VxjNMFk/T3Dk7f0atwI/AAAAAAAAAGY/PBCJ-j9In3o/s200/NAEIR+BUILDING+1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
This deduction is limited to C Corporations at this time. Since the majority of businesses in the U.S. are small businesses, the potential benefit to our nation's charities in terms of gifts of inventory would be "big"!<br />
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If you received the email but haven't had a chance to take action. Please do so now. If you inadvertently deleted the email or even deliberately chose to delete it, here's your opportunity to make restitution.<br />
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Go to the above link and support the bill. It won't reverse male pattern baldness nor will it contribute to a cure for the common cold. It will however help thousands of nonprofits, schools and church organizations while providing a strong incentive for small businesses to help deserving charities across the U.S.<br />
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If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-55523603641639698342012-03-19T07:22:00.000-07:002012-03-26T14:54:19.901-07:00Senator LaHood Visits NAEIRState Senator Darin LaHood, representing Illinois’ 37th District traveled to Galesburg, IL on Friday morning to visit NAEIR.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-3_Yd4qAk4/T2OuayQCh9I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/-6pv33Rprwk/s1600/DSC_0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d-3_Yd4qAk4/T2OuayQCh9I/AAAAAAAAAFQ/-6pv33Rprwk/s200/DSC_0239.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left - State Senator Darin LaHood <br />
[IL-37] & NAEIR President & <br />
CEO Gary C. Smith</td></tr>
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The Senator had never previously visited our facility; nor was he aware of the nature of our work with nonprofits, schools and churches, our relationship with thousands of donor companies or the national scope of our outreach. NAEIR's President and CEO,
Gary C. Smith, saw the occasion of the Senator's visit as an opportunity to provide him with a thorough briefing on our organization.<br />
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Senator LaHood departed later that morning with an appreciation for the important role that NAEIR assumes in providing much needed products to charitable organizations throughout the country and the state of Illinois in particular. Founded in 1977 and now celebrating our 35th Anniversary, NAEIR continues to successfully solicit donations of a wide variety of excess inventory from America's corporations; distributing these materials to 13,000 nonprofits, schools and churches throughout the U.S.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4oPSUMp-cns/T2OvXbIsy-I/AAAAAAAAAFc/T6-YPWZQ0Pk/s1600/DSC_0247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="143" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4oPSUMp-cns/T2OvXbIsy-I/AAAAAAAAAFc/T6-YPWZQ0Pk/s200/DSC_0247.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left to right - Senator LaHood greeting NAEIR <br />
employees Patti Woolsey & Mary<br />
Sue Austin</td></tr>
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Catalog members average $20,000 worth of free material over a year’s membership and pay a nominal annual membership fee for the service. Products include office supplies and equipment, toys, sporting goods, educational supplies, clothing, consumer electronics, personal care products and a host of other types of goods.<br />
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Donors, many of whom are Regular C corporations, realize an up to twice-cost federal tax deduction on donations of excess, slow-moving inventory that might otherwise be sold to liquidators at a nickel on the dollar or wind up in a landfill – of no use to anyone.<br />
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The Senator and Mr. Smith discussed a number of issues including the needs of charitable organizations as well as schools and churches throughout Illinois. With the Senator’s involvement in the state’s Human Services Committee, he has a passion for the needs of children and families along with broad social service concerns on the state level.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNJMDF3qXCs/T2c7UoGCi8I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/NFDqdxcCEEw/s1600/DSC_0237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="142" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wNJMDF3qXCs/T2c7UoGCi8I/AAAAAAAAAGQ/NFDqdxcCEEw/s200/DSC_0237.JPG" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left - Gary C. Smith<br />
and Senator LaHood</td></tr>
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Mr. Smith noted that families are well represented across NAEIR's membership base. He expressed the desire to expand the number of organizations we currently provide donated product to, in order to help more families across the state.<br />
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If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-30767036745872658162012-02-27T08:59:00.000-08:002012-02-27T09:14:35.750-08:00Make It A Point of Making Your Mark - Support H.R. 2592 Now!<br />
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Gary C. Smith, NAEIR’s President & CEO recently sent an
email to many of our donors as well as companies that have expressed interest
in NAEIR’s free inventory reduction service but have not yet participated in
our program. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DIJZ6kW9YOc/T0u0e-kOK1I/AAAAAAAAADw/OOUXLr5knDE/s1600/DSC_0092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DIJZ6kW9YOc/T0u0e-kOK1I/AAAAAAAAADw/OOUXLr5knDE/s320/DSC_0092.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gary C. Smith, NAEIR President & CEO flanked by<br />
Congressmen Schock [IL-18]and Schilling [IL-17], the Bill's<br />
Sponsor & one of its Co-sponsors, on the left & right respectively</td></tr>
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His message was a simple and straightforward one. He asked that they go to <a href="http://pvox.co/AFDMzV">http://pvox.co/AFDMzV</a> and support H.R.
2592. This bill would extend the up to twice-cost federal tax deduction
to S Corporations and other small companies that donate their excess inventory
to charities. Passage of the legislation
would increase the amount of a wide range of free inventory to struggling
nonprofits, schools and church organizations nationwide.</div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333;">Help us get
the word out on the bill by going to <a href="http://pvox.co/AFDMzV">http://pvox.co/AFDMzV</a>
! You’ll be sending a strong message to your Representatives in Congress letting
them know that you support H.R. 2592. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333;">If you're a
business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or
church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give
us a call at (800)-562-0955</span><span style="color: #333333;">.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-83700149445464495612012-02-14T09:37:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:37:45.582-08:00NAEIR & NEA - This Could Be the Start of Something Big<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPJwdxpzfJKQeyif-Mt0IMCzodJ6gpsmY7rjb0T4FFxBeLTVBn-OOBFBGyPvhRnLK87vGbSg6Q6CjlkfwXfLNyDM1tJuNboEj6E5lFnKVpodwbuwP9MZQO7m2EUhfBzpS44DB35hTFQ10/s1600/NEAMeeting+008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPJwdxpzfJKQeyif-Mt0IMCzodJ6gpsmY7rjb0T4FFxBeLTVBn-OOBFBGyPvhRnLK87vGbSg6Q6CjlkfwXfLNyDM1tJuNboEj6E5lFnKVpodwbuwP9MZQO7m2EUhfBzpS44DB35hTFQ10/s200/NEAMeeting+008.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left - Cruz A. Ramos, VP of Public<br />Affairs, NAEIR and Al Campos, Lobbyist,<br />Federal Advocacy Government Relations, NEA</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A couple of weeks back, while in Washington, DC, over a few days of great weather,
Jim Jones, Director of Public Affairs and I met with Alfred Campos, Lobbyist,
Federal Advocacy Government Relations for the National Education Association
(NEA). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We spent most of our time over lunch discussing H.R. 2592
and the positive tax treatment that would accrue to small businesses when they
donate inventory to charitable organizations.
We also discussed the anticipated increase in the volume of free
products that would become available to charities, schools and churches if the
bill were passed. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Al said he’d study the bill in order to determine whether
this legislation would be something that the NEA would get behind. He seemed genuinely interested in the
potential benefits on the national level - to schools and to the NEA’s
constituents; teachers and school administrators</span>. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Help us to get the word out on the bill! Contact your Representatives on Capitol Hill. Go to www.popvox.com. Registration is quick and easy. Type in H.R. 2592 in the box on the upper right hand corner. On the next webpage, please click "Support" and ask everyone you know to do the same.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.</span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-24430665180686887042012-02-08T10:34:00.000-08:002012-02-16T12:48:14.024-08:00Pushing H.R. 2592 On a Visit to Our Nation's Capital<br />
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James Jones, Director of Public Affairs and I met recently with
representatives of the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities
(HACU). These included Dr. Gumecindo Salas, VP Of Government Relations, Laura
Maristany, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs and Cesar E.
Oyervidees-Cisneros, HNIP Associate Director.
After a discussion of H.R. 2592, a bill that provides tax relief to
small businesses donating excess inventory to nonprofits, schools and churches,
there appeared to be interest in how this legislation could benefit HACU’s
membership of over 300 colleges and universities all of whom have sizable
Hispanic constituencies. We also discussed NAEIR membership opportunities for
HACU’s member colleges and universities along with the possibility of
collaborating with them in the areas of public relations and marketing as
well. HACU’s 26<sup>th</sup> Annual
Conference will be held in Washington, DC later this year, October 20<sup>th</sup>–22<sup>nd</sup>,
2012. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIXN1QV-vUiw9RJgL_lzEAp3oSSzAf9v8Smt9fXELoepNXVo6eo_6XcN6OMrAj03uudWYcbVr5b-DSjH8sjYcK7IDfTfwdK5ZhC-wDUDsBunbyMsaMplqCVjEeTLvr7d7niH75DWvKQ_m/s1600/HACUMeeting+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFIXN1QV-vUiw9RJgL_lzEAp3oSSzAf9v8Smt9fXELoepNXVo6eo_6XcN6OMrAj03uudWYcbVr5b-DSjH8sjYcK7IDfTfwdK5ZhC-wDUDsBunbyMsaMplqCVjEeTLvr7d7niH75DWvKQ_m/s320/HACUMeeting+002.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left - Cruz Ramos, VP of Public Affairs, NAEIR,<br />
Dr. Salas, VP of Government Relations, HACU,<br />
Cesar Oyervides-Cisneros, HNIP Associate Director &<br />
Laura Maristany, Executive Director of Legislative Affairs</td></tr>
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Additionally, with regard to our continuing fine-tuning of
our efforts in advancing the bill, we also devoted some time to how other
groups may be in a position to help us. Besides individual members of Congress
and their staffs, there are numerous caucuses. Some of these represent interests that are directly
or at least closely aligned with the health and well-being of charities,
educational organizations and small business related groups. There are of course also major organizations
and associations whose missions dovetail nicely with a broad range of deserving
groups that would stand to benefit if the bill were passed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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During our time in DC we also met with staffers at
Congressmen Schilling, Shock and Davis’ offices. We discussed how best to take
advantage of the opportunity we now have as a result of the joint Schock &
Schilling press conference on the bill, held Thursday, January 26<sup>th</sup>,
at NAEIR’s Galesburg, IL facility. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNNR4IVqTzw8g2jBISUM8Q-y9HpJqX45J79N0QFxgL5P_pJ9KKbecgU0-W0EJxvdghs_SK2KwE1wMfN31fd6o8lOXICT4bEQ2jlRh8o3nym1pbA7urOmFKt99J-yHtLRLdgVVCWJekHWe/s1600/SchillingOffice,FrederickMeeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNNR4IVqTzw8g2jBISUM8Q-y9HpJqX45J79N0QFxgL5P_pJ9KKbecgU0-W0EJxvdghs_SK2KwE1wMfN31fd6o8lOXICT4bEQ2jlRh8o3nym1pbA7urOmFKt99J-yHtLRLdgVVCWJekHWe/s320/SchillingOffice,FrederickMeeting.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Robert C. Frederick, Legislative Director,<br />
Congressman Bobby Schilling (R-IL17)</td></tr>
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At a time when other issues seem to be taking up more of the
spotlight, the Charitable Contribution Parity & Enhancement Act is not getting
as much attention as we’d like. Still, during
these meetings we discussed the continuing need to build on and energize our
support base. <o:p></o:p></div>
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This would include NAEIR’s nonprofit and school membership as
well as donor companies and many businesses that we speak with routinely but
that have never donated. Many of the companies that have not previously donated
inventory to NAEIR or any other charities for that matter, have no tax
incentive to do so. The inclusion of S
Corps and other pass-throughs that would be realized with the passage of H.R.
2592 would extend the above-cost tax benefits to these small businesses,
whereas at this time only C corporations are eligible. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A number of recommended approaches came up during our time in
Washington, DC that we’ll want to put to good use in building our support base
and generally advancing the progress of the bill. These include our getting
other congressmen to sign on to the bill as co-sponsors, widening congressional
support across state lines, and while we’re at it, striking a bi-partisan
balance as much as possible. We also
need to identify congressional committees and caucuses whose interests are in
line with tax relief for small businesses.
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaRHc6wXV9NVPboNIqnMeFDuIVCqVOl6OIM8HHccxUGOnVUsjUm4pLwqPnN2q2xA0SNeaTriMvH99SfkdZFWtZaqQk-YwE0orFa9wsWsqHvKVuZkLaGz3agpHLfEgoRsevJhznZeG4HuQ/s1600/SchockOffice,Almanza2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBaRHc6wXV9NVPboNIqnMeFDuIVCqVOl6OIM8HHccxUGOnVUsjUm4pLwqPnN2q2xA0SNeaTriMvH99SfkdZFWtZaqQk-YwE0orFa9wsWsqHvKVuZkLaGz3agpHLfEgoRsevJhznZeG4HuQ/s320/SchockOffice,Almanza2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Margie Almanza, Legislative Assistant,<br />
Congressman Aaron Shock (R-IL18)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Passage of H.R. 2592 not only helps small businesses but also
promotes and further ensures the continuation of the very important role that
charities, schools and churches have in addressing the needs of the poor and
underserved in our nation.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUJVifA1z0-1aoonVUneBwLByg4GMd78rhW3DPzlUgolgBKruZhFO5nekKWKByH6Pu9Ie43y1lX7y_K2YXa5r8sBg-oRn8djjGpyWKV6tT57YJFNnCxd4WZEHTSHbEXUaCnlBI8h_78KG/s1600/DavisOffice,Hunter-Williams.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWUJVifA1z0-1aoonVUneBwLByg4GMd78rhW3DPzlUgolgBKruZhFO5nekKWKByH6Pu9Ie43y1lX7y_K2YXa5r8sBg-oRn8djjGpyWKV6tT57YJFNnCxd4WZEHTSHbEXUaCnlBI8h_78KG/s320/DavisOffice,Hunter-Williams.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Jill Hunter-Williams, Legislative Director,<br />
Congressman Danny K. David (D-IL7)</td></tr>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333;">Help us to get the word out on
the bill! Contact your Representatives on Capitol Hill. Go to
www.popvox.com. Registration is quick and easy. Type in H.R. 2592
in the box on the upper right hand corner. On the next webpage, please
click "Support" and ask everyone you know to do the same.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #333333;">If you're a business and would
like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would
like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3125491056502299396.post-91804127332334652342012-01-26T14:26:00.000-08:002012-01-27T06:48:02.306-08:00Congressmen Schilling & Schock Rally Around Bill That Helps Charities and Small Businesses<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EG2rZLu5B9U/TyHRlUUJYTI/AAAAAAAAACY/CQ3OQCeFgZQ/s1600/DSC_0092.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EG2rZLu5B9U/TyHRlUUJYTI/AAAAAAAAACY/CQ3OQCeFgZQ/s320/DSC_0092.jpg" width="294" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From left, Congressman Schock, Gary C. Smith, President<br />
& CEO of NAEIR & Congressman Schilling</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Galesburg, Illinois – Thursday,
January 26, 2012 – A day after having observed the 35<sup>th</sup> anniversary
of the organization’s founding, NAEIR hosted a joint press conference held
before an audience of the nonprofit group’s employees. Congressmen Aaron Schock
[R-IL18] and Bobby Schilling [R-IL17] each made statements regarding the
significance of H.R. 2592: the Charitable Contribution Parity & Enhancement
Act. The bill would extend a federal tax
deduction to small businesses making inventory donations to nonprofits, schools
and churches. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As the bill’s sponsor, Congressman
Schock stressed that the bill corrects a longstanding disparity between S
Corporations and other small businesses that represent a significant majority
of all companies and larger Regular C Corporations. Currently the up to twice-cost tax benefit on
inventory donations is available to C Corporations but not to smaller
businesses. H.R. 2592 would change that.
Congressman Schilling, a co-sponsor, emphasized the nationwide impact that the
bill would have and it’s bi-partisan support.
Congressman Danny Davis [D-IL7] is another co-sponsor of the bill.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Gary C. Smith, President
& CEO of the organization, underscored the benefits that would be realized
by both the small business community as well as charities across the U.S. He
added that the impact of this legislation needs to be understood on the
grassroots level; promoting greater collaboration between businesses and
charities at the local level. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mr. Smith and the Congressmen
agree that the passage of H.R. 2592 would provide tax relief to hundreds of
thousands of struggling small businesses. Equally substantial numbers of
charities and those they serve numbering in the millions would benefit through
previously unavailable access to a wide variety of free products. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The Congressmen were in
agreement that this legislation represents a two-pronged economic boost to the
nation’s small businesses and millions of Americans nationwide, currently
struggling under challenging economic times.<br />
<br />
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<br />
Help us to get the word out on the bill! Contact your Representatives on Capitol Hill. Go to www.popvox.com. Registration is quick and easy. Type in HR 2592 in the box on the upper right hand corner. On the next webpage, please click "Support" and ask everyone you know to do the same.<br />
<br />
<br />
If you're a business and would like to donate to NAEIR, or if you're a nonprofit, school or church and would like to learn more about the benefits of joining, please give us a call at (800)-562-0955.<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2