Housewares Charity Foundation Raises Record $2.6M At Annual Gala

The housewares industry raised a record $2.6 million during the Housewares Charity Foundation’s (HCF) 19th annual gala on March 7.

Proceeds from the event, held at Chicago’s Navy Pier during the International Home + Housewares Show, benefited The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the HCF’s legacy charity, the Housewares Charity Foundation Fund in Memory of Judy Colitz and God’s Love We Deliver.  

This year’s gala honored Terry Lundgren, chairman and chief executive officer of Macy’s, with the Lifetime Humanitarian Award, and Lester Gribetz, president of Lenox Corporation, with the Humanitarian of the Year Award.

“The housewares industry showed its heart for charity by raising this record amount in one night, and we expect the donations to continue growing in the coming weeks in memory of Judy,” said Phil Brandl, president and CEO of the International Housewares Association and president of HCF.

The event was sold out with more than 1,200 attendees enjoying a cocktail reception featuring 10 tasting stations hosted by James Beard Foundation chefs and Macy’s Culinary Council.

The evening also included silent and live auctions, where guests bid on a collection of relaxing getaways, dinners, culinary experiences, sports and entertainment events. Offerings included trips to Anguilla, British West Indies; Provence, France; the American Music Awards; the Ellen DeGeneres Show; the Macy’s Annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as a stay in the Hamptons.