Daily News
From Home Furnishing Business
Art Van Kicks Off Charity Challenge
January 21,
2015 by in Community / Charitable Support, Industry 
Warren, Mich.-based Art Van Furniture has kicked off its 7th annual Charity Challenge for nonprofit groups.
The challenge is open to groups in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
Art Van is making a financial commitment of $375,000 to support the communities it serves as part of its philanthropic program. Cindy Crawford, international supermodel, businesswoman, philanthropist and 2015 Art Van Charity Challenge ambassador, announced the opening of the application process for nonprofit organizations focusing on children, healthcare and human services.
“There are few things in life more empowering than getting involved and giving back to help others,” said Crawford, who lost her brother to leukemia when she was 9 years old and helped raise money for the Leukemia Foundation of America as part of her healing process. “I have been devoted for a long time to doing my part to enhance the world.”
Charities that have participated in the past as well as first time grant applicants are eligible to enter through March 2. Once the participating nonprofits have been chosen, each will develop their specific fundraising strategies. Finally, the organizations will compete to raise the most money in the Art Van “Challenge Grant Competition” during a five-week period from May 18 through June 22.
The top 10 winners will be announced on June 24 and will be awarded grants ranging from $75,000 to $7,500. The remaining participants will keep the funds raised during the Art Van Charity Challenge, as well as any bonus challenge money they won during the competition.
“Incentivizing nonprofits to creatively raise money to support the important work they do has proven to be game-changing,” said Art Van Elslander, founder and chairman of Art Van Furniture. “The grant competition inspires people everywhere to come together for their favorite cause. Our combined efforts will generate $1 million for nonprofit organizations and we look forward to another exciting fundraising race to the finish.”
The Art Van Charity Challenge has generated nearly $20 million in donations over the past six years and supported more than 200 charities. Powered by CrowdRise, an online charitable fundraising site, the Art Van Charity Challenge raised $260,000 in the final 24 hours and secured $175,000 of the funds in the final hour during last year’s campaign, setting a crowdrise.com record.