LOS ANGELES—A-1 Textiles & Hospitality Products Inc., a leading hotel distributor, announced the donation of 1,000 blankets to two Phoenix based charities, UMOM and StreetLightUSA. The desire to do something that has a greater impact than gifting blankets to Lodging Conference attendees was well received by the event organizers.
“For the past few years we’ve given away bathrobes and towels in the welcome bags at The Lodging Conference,” said A-1 Textiles President, Carol Moran. “Although they’ve been received with rave reviews, they are bulky and difficult to transport home. Rather than gifting blankets to attendees, we are giving them to two organizations that truly need them.”
UMOM Resource Development Manager, Sharon Pederson, was in attendance to receive blankets for the organization. UMOM is the largest homeless shelter in Phoenix. The organization works to keep families together, housing families with children while working to build sustainable skills that give parents the ability to rebuild their family’s life.
‘Well Timed’ Donation
“I’m thrilled that we will be receiving all of the beautiful blankets,” said Pederson. “Our facility experienced a flood earlier this year, which has taxed our resources more than usual and makes A-1 Textile’s generosity well timed.”
StreetLightUSA representative, Patsi Kovalesky, was also in attendance to accept blankets on behalf of her organization.
“We can always use the blankets,” Kovalesky said. “We have a shelter that houses 48 women, girls 11 to 18, that have been rescued from human or sex trafficking situations across the U.S.” In addition, StreetLightUSA works with local law enforcement and others to assist hundreds of girls rescued from captive situations as stings take place and ‘clean up’ of Arizona continues in the Arizona’s Not Buying It campaign based in the greater Phoenix area. This tremendous need represents a lot of blankets that will stay with the program recipients as they recover and move forward in life.
