Gifts In Kind International To Work With Borders on National Product Donation Effort

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Gifts In Kind International (www.giftsinkind.org), a leading charitable organization in the product giving field, is pleased to announce a new agreement with Borders Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (NYSE: BGP). Borders selected Gifts In Kind to help the company donate—rather than dispose of—items that have not sold in its Borders and Waldenbooks stores nationwide and cannot be returned by the retailer to its suppliers.

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The relationship between the two organizations kicks off later this month with a major product donation—including more than 50,000 individual items that Borders and Waldenbooks stores have amassed—to jump-start the alliance with Gifts In Kind. These items will be donated to hundreds of local organizations within the Gifts In Kind national network of charities, which now numbers more than 2,000 organizations. Beyond the kick-off donation, Borders and Waldenbooks stores throughout the country intend to soon begin a long-term alliance with Gifts In Kind, directly donating items from their individual stores on an ongoing basis to local charities that are part of Gifts In Kind's national network. Charities wishing to be involved in this effort should contact Gifts In Kind's Melissa Trumpower ([email protected]).

"Borders is taking an industry leading position by working with us to get products that cannot be returned or sold to people in need," said Gifts In Kind International President and CEO Cindy Hallberlin "We applaud their community commitment and are thrilled to have Borders join our other retail partners in giving back to the communities where their employees live and work. These are challenging times and people need retailers like Borders to step up and get involved in supporting their communities."

"Our stores across the country are regarded as community centers where people come to meet, explore and share their passion for books. It is a natural extension of our strong community focus to give our stores a way to help their local neighbors at a time when so many need help," said Mike Edwards, Executive Vice President and Chief Merchandising Officer. "This new alliance with Gifts In Kind supplements what we are already doing through existing book drives, which have resulted in thousands of new books going to local charities across the U.S. Now, we have a way to donate non-returnable and unsold items as well, rounding out our giving efforts to the fullest."

About Gifts In Kind International:

Ranked by Forbes Magazine as one of the nation's best-managed charities in America, Gifts In Kind International (www.giftsinkind.org) is dedicated to helping people and communities by distributing new corporate product donations—including books, toys, personal care products and clothing, building supplies, computers and other technology products, and much more—to qualified nonprofit organizations. The charitable organization works with more than half of the Fortune 100 consumer, retail and technology companies. Last year, Gifts In Kind distributed product donations valued at more than $400 million.

About Borders Group:

Headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., Borders Group, Inc. (NYSE: BGP) is a leading specialty retailer of books as well as other educational and entertainment items. Through its subsidiaries, the company employs approximately 25,000 throughout the United States, primarily in its Borders(R) and Waldenbooks(R) stores. Online shopping is offered through borders.com. Find author interviews and vibrant discussions of the products we and our customers are passionate about online at facebook.com/borders, twitter.com/borders and youtube.com/bordersmedia. For more information about the company, visit borders.com/media.

SOURCE Gifts In Kind International