Hayneedle Brings Warmth to Sandy Victims Through Gifts That Give Back Collection

OMAHA, Neb. and TOMS RIVER, N.J., Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hayneedle, one of the largest online home furnishings retailers in America, today donated thousands of blankets to families impacted by Hurricane Sandy through the Children's Home Society of New Jersey (CHS of NJ).

Hayneedle's flagship store hayneedle.com, the online destination to find everything home, launched its second annual Gifts That Give Back holiday collection in November 2012 with the goal of delivering warm blankets to children in need in the United States.  Shortly after hearing the reports of devastation left by the superstorm, Hayneedle, in association with Pearl Mantels Corporation and other participating vendors, chose to designate these blankets to families impacted by Hurricane Sandy.  This gift of warmth was arranged through Hayneedle's collaboration with The Children's Home Society of America (CHSA) of which CHS of NJ is a member.

"At Hayneedle, we are committed to positively impacting the communities we serve in any way possible," said Doug Nielsen, president and CEO, Hayneedle.  "As families continue to struggle with Sandy's aftermath, donating all blankets to the affected families was an easy decision for our company and participating vendors.  As temperatures continue to drop, we take comfort in knowing our collective donation will help families stay warm. We are proud that our Gifts That Give Back collection has expanded to include many generous partners and associations this year, as the donation nearly doubled since the prior year."

CHS of NJ has been working with its partner agencies in impacted areas along the New Jersey shore in advance to ensure efficient distribution of the blankets.  Organizations including The Children's Home Society of New Jersey Early Head start Home Based Program, The Children's Home Society of New Jersey, The Hope Center, Missionary Pentecostal Church, O.C.E.A.N. Inc, People's Pantry, The Salvation Army, St. Francis on LBI and Your Grandmother's Cupboard each accepted cases of blankets to be offered to children and families they serve.

"This is one more wonderful example of how so many good people come together to help each other in times of devastating crisis," explained Donna Pressma, president and CEO, The Children's Home Society of New Jersey.

The owners of Meelheim's Transfer & Storage have facilitated the logistics of receiving the donation by offering the temporary use of their warehouse space.  Meelheim's Transfer and Storage has been recovering from Sandy, which left two feet of water in their facility.  The owners were proud to help their neighbors and spent days before the delivery removing the remaining debris and preparing the necessary space for this major relief effort.

Hayneedle launched its first holiday giving campaign to support the CHSA in 2011 in association with Pearl Mantels Corporation. For every purchase made from participating vendors in the Gifts That Give Back collection, Hayneedle donated two blankets to be distributed by Children's Home Society of America (CHSA), a national non-profit whose national network of member agencies impact the lives of millions of children and families each year. This past year, Hayneedle expanded its Gifts That Give Back collection with many other generous partners, including Pearl Mantels, Comfort Research, Guidecraft, Kid Kraft, Levels of Discovery, Lipper International, Mid America Outdoor, Radio Flyer and Vortex Blast Zone.

About Hayneedle:

Hayneedle, one of the largest online home furnishings retailers in America, is on a mission to fill homes with joy one perfect find at a time.  Hayneedle's flagship store is hayneedle.com, a central destination where one can find everything home...from patio furniture to platform beds, coffee tables to cuckoo clocks. The company also maintains a collection of over 250 online specialty stores, offering deep selections within specific categories for home, work, and play.  Hayneedle has been recognized by Internet Retailer and Inc. Magazine as one of the top online retailers and fastest growing companies in America. Learn more at www.hayneedleinc.com and shop at www.hayneedle.com.

About The Children's Home Society of New Jersey:

The Children's Home Society of New Jersey and Pennsylvania is a nonprofit child and family serving agency whose mission is to save children's lives and build healthy families.  Founded in 1894, the agency protects abused or neglected infants and at-risk children by ensuring stable, permanent, and loving homes for each and every child it serves.  All services are confidential and most are free.  For more information, visit our website at chsofnj.org.

SOURCE Hayneedle, Inc.