While making money remains the bottom line for business, giving away money seems to have taken on new meaning for many companies and industries in the home furnishings business in general and specifically in the lighting and home décor segment.
The industry is seeing more and more give-back efforts organized by both individual companies and product sectors and they run the gamut of models and formats.
Houston retailer Gallery Furniture has achieved national prominence through the efforts of its owner and founder Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. During last year’s Hurricane Harvey disaster, he turned the store into a shelter for disposed area residents. Earlier this summer, McIngvale announced that Gallery will be converting as much as a half of its giant stores into community centers with job skill training, child care and even English-as-a-second-language classes.
At an association level, the ART Conference, run by ART – The Creative Home Furnishings Network, has recently included a charitable event as part of its annual agenda, giving back to the local community where the event is being held.
On a larger scale, such home-industry based charities as Gift for Life and the City of Hope’s furniture industry unit have been providing financial support for decades.
In the lighting business, the most prominent effort has been the Goombay Bash, which earlier this summer held its 18th annual fund-raising event in Chicago, drumming up more than $660,000 in support of basic science cancer research.
The Bash originated in 2001 when The H Foundation was co-founded by lighting retailer Hortons Home Lighting, honoring an employee lost to cancer. Since then it has raised more than $8 million, all of it earmarked for the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University.
This year’s Goombay Bash (the name comes from the fabled Goombay Smash rum cocktail) attracted more than 1,000 people to Navy Pier in Chicago for a tropical night – and a good cause. Live and silent auctions, and additional donations were key fundraising initiatives.
A highlight of the event was a special presentation made to Hortons President John Rot. On behalf of the lighting industry, Eric Jacobson of the American Lighting Association and Laura Van Zeyl of Dallas Market Center, presented a check for $50,000. It represented funds raised through a targeted e-mail effort to the industry specifically, but it was also a symbolic gesture acknowledging the ongoing support and commitment from every lighting segment.
Lighting One President Gregg Garofalo was also honored with the Guiding Light Award, a special award created to recognize individuals and companies in the lighting industry who have been exceptionally supportive. Past recipients include Lightovation exhibitors Hinkley, Kichler, Quoizel, Satco and WAC Lighting.
Mark your calendars for next year’s Goombay Bash on Saturday, July 27, 2019. In the meantime, the group’s website, www.hfoundation.org, remains open for information – and donations – all year long.