Importers, others help Asian tsunami victims
By Thomas Russell -- Furniture Today, January 24, 2005
High Point — Furniture importers and their employees are reaching out to South Asian tsunami victims by sending money to global relief agencies.
The companies have been making contributions to groups such as the American Red Cross, UNICEF and others helping rebuild areas devastated by the disaster.
None of the companies interviewed reported having plants in the areas affected. Still, they wanted to help those in need in the countries where they do business. That includes dining room and occasional specialist CG Sparks, which sources all product from India.
"We are all so connected," said President and CEO Michael Hennessey, noting his company and its employees have made personal donations to various charities. "It seems likes a million miles away, but it strongly affects us."
Employees of case goods importer Modus Furniture International have been making donations, mostly to local agencies around its home base of Los Angeles.
Employees in its office in Surabaya, Indonesia, also are raising money, said Assistant Manager John Richey.
"Some of the employees there are making contributions and we are doing the same thing here," he said. "We're just trying to help the people who were hurt."
Like Modus, case goods importer Corson Furniture International is raising money through individual donations and directing it to the local American Red Cross.
"From everything I read, the American Red Cross seems to be a pretty good place to go," said President Lee Corson. "They seem to have the facilities to direct aid where it belongs."
The company has employees in Malaysia who are either donating money or helping out with the relief effort on their home turf.
Dan Angus, senior vice president of sales and marketing for casual dining and occasional specialist Ligo Products, said his company has sent contributions through a connection with a factory in Thailand. That factory is sending the donations to relief efforts in Phuket, an island off the coast of Thailand that was hit hard.
Ligo also plans to send money to Indonesia, where it also sources product.
"We like to do our small part in helping them through this terrible thing," Angus said. "It's truly a humanitarian issue."
Employees of Emerald Home Furnishings, Four Hands and Thomasville also contributed to local agencies, that, in turn, will send the money to South Asia.
Four Hands, which sources much of its product from India, with smaller amounts from Indonesia and Thailand, may hold an auction at the April market to raise money for victims.
Associations and other furniture industry groups have raised money. The International Home Furnishings Representatives Assn. sent a $1,000 contribution to the American Red Cross.
Reed Elsevier, parent of Furniture/Today, made a donation of $100,000 for relief efforts to UNICEF, the American Red Cross and Save the Children. It also pledged an additional $10,000 to the Save the Children Asian Earthquake/Tsunami Relief Fund.
Relief efforts aside, company officials say one of the most important things they can do is oto continue doing business in those areas affected. CG Sparks' Hennessey plans a business trip to India in about a week. "We want to help them continue to grow as much as possible," he said.
