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Washington, D.C. (Nov. 19)—The Direct Selling Association helped kick off the 19th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy and Gift Drive this morning by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza.

Twenty-one direct selling companies donated a total of nearly $17 million in products and cash to the Toy Drive. Of the 21 participating companies, at least 10 will be featured in their own spots on the TODAY Show during the holiday season. In its nine years of participation, DSA member companies have donated more than $100 million in products, services and cash to the Toy Drive.

Participating companies donated items from books, stuffed animals and fashion accessories to clothing and toiletries for children and families across the country.

“The TODAY Show Holiday Gift Drive is just one example each year of how direct selling serves as a force for good in our communities, across the country and throughout the world,” said Amy Robinson, DSA’s Chief Marketing Officer. “Every day, direct sellers help others achieve their goals through the products and opportunities they offer, but their involvement in charitable and philanthropic activities reinforces the positive impact direct selling has on millions of lives each year.”

The TODAY Show Toy Drive is a project of the Today Show Charitable Foundation, Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Donations are matched with the needs of more than 200 organizations with which the Today Show Charitable Foundation works. As part of this year’s Toy Drive, DSA member companies will send items to dozens of organizations in states from California to New York.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:

• 4Life (www.4life.com)
• Amway (ww.amway.com)
• Arbonne (www.arbonne.com)
• Avon (www.avon.com)
• Blessings Unlimited (www.myblessingsunlimited.net)
• CUTCO (www.cutco.com)
• DeTech (www.detech.com)
• Essential Bodywear (www.essentialbodywear.com)
• Initials, Inc. (www.initials-inc.com)
• lia sophia (www.liasophia.com)
• Mary Kay Inc. (www.marykay.com)
• PartyLite (www.partylite.com)
• Pink Papaya (www.pinkpapayaparties.com)
• SeneGence (www.senegence.com)
• Shaklee (www.shaklee.com)
• Signature HomeStyles (www.signaturehomestyles.com)
• Southwestern Advantage (www.southwestern.com)
• Stampin’ Up! (www.stampinup.com)
• Team National (www.bign.com)
• Thirty-One Gifts (www.thirtyonegifts.com)
• Vantel Pearls (www.vantelpearls.com)

About the Direct Selling Association

The Direct Selling Association is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers. Among its more than 240 active and pending members are companies selling both via a party-plan method and in the traditional person-to-person style. In 2011, U.S. direct sales were more than $29.8 billion with nearly 16 million direct sellers nationwide. The vast majority are independent business people—micro-entrepreneurs—whose purpose is to sell the product/service of the company they voluntarily choose to represent. Approximately 90 percent of direct sellers operate their business part-time.

For more information on direct selling, DSA and its Code of Ethics, please visit the DSA website at www.dsa.org