Direct Selling Companies Donate Nearly $16.5 Million to TODAY Show Toy and Gift Drive

Washington, D.C. (Nov. 21) – The Direct Selling Association kicked off the 18th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy and Gift Drive this morning by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza.

Twenty-three direct selling companies donated a total of nearly $16.5 million in products and cash to the Toy Drive. Of the 23 participating companies, at least eight will be featured in their own spots on the TODAY Show during the holiday season. In its eight years of participation, DSA member companies have donated more than $85 million in products, services and cash to the Toy Drive.

Participating companies donated items from books, stuffed animals and fashion accessories to clothing and toiletries for children and families across the country.

“Participation in the Toy Drive is a natural fit for direct selling companies,” said Amy Robinson, DSA Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. “Every day, direct sellers help others achieve their goals through the products and opportunities they offer, but their involvement in charitable and philanthropic activities reinforces the positive impact direct selling has on millions of lives each year.”

The TODAY Show Toy Drive is a project of the Today Show Charitable Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are matched with the needs of more than 200 organizations with which the Today Show Charitable Foundation works. As part of this year’s Toy Drive, DSA member companies will send items to dozens of organizations in states from California to New York.

Companies from the smallest, newest member applicants to the largest, most established companies participated in this effort. Donations ranging from a handful of products to more than $7 million in products were received.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:

4Life (www.4life.com)
Amway (www.amway.com)
Arbonne (www.arbonne.com)
Avon (www.avon.com)
Barefoot Books (www.barefootbooks.com)
Blessings Unlimited (www.blessingsdirect.com)
CUTCO (www.cutco.com)
DeTech (www.detech.com)
Essential Bodywear (www.essentialbodywear.com)
lia Sophia (www.liasophia.com)
Neways (www.neways.com)
Mary Kay (www.marykay.com)
NSA (www.juiceplus.com) 
Oxyfresh.com/21Ten (www.oxyfresh.com)
PartyLite (www.partylite.com)
Pink Papaya (www.pinkpapayaparties.com)
SeneGence  (www.senegence.com)
Shaklee (www.shaklee.com) 
Southwestern (www.southwestern.com)
Stampin' Up! (www.stampinup.com)
Team National (www.bign.com)
Thirty-One Gifts (www.thirtyonegifts.com)
Vantel Pearls in the Oyster (www.vantelpearls.com)
Willow House (www.willowhouse.com)

DSA is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers. Among its more than 240 active and pending members are companies selling both via a party-plan method and in the traditional person-to-person style. In 2010, U.S. direct sales were more than $28.5 billion with more than 16 million direct sellers nationwide. The vast majority are independent business people – micro-entrepreneurs – whose purpose is to sell the product/service of the company they voluntarily choose to represent. Approximately 90 percent of direct sellers operate their business part-time.

For more information on direct selling, DSA and its Code of Ethics, please visit the DSA website at www.dsa.org.

View DSA's Donation on the TODAY Show