WOODINVILLE, WA – August 1, 2011 — Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation’s premier Merchandise Agency™, today announced it raised nearly $300,000 in cash and in-kind donations for local charities in a community service initiative. The project was two-months in the making and driven by more than 500 employees.

The efforts culminated on July 21 when BDA participated in a multitude of projects throughout the Puget Sound, collectively volunteering more than 3,000 service hours. Benefiting charities for the first annual BDA Day of Difference included the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, Child’s Play, Little Red Schoolhouse, Marra Farms, Seattle Children’s Home, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission.

“Our culture and spirit of caring is what defines us as a company," said Jay Deutsch, BDA co-founder and CEO. “BDA is equally passionate about our community as we are the work we do. The Day of Difference is about much more than raising money, it’s about making an investment in the places we live and work. We’ve set out to make a long-term impact on our community both through job creation and by always giving back.”

“From the moment we decided to move forward with this charitable initiative, our associates embraced the process with incredible excitement and tenacity. They have truly shown us what community is all about," added BDA co-founder and president Eric Bensussen.

As part of the Day of Difference, one of the eight charity projects was selected as having best demonstrated teamwork and positive change. The winning team, which served lunch, cleaned shelters and distributed socks to the homeless community through Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission, was awarded $20,000.The prize was intended to be split between the charity and the team members. However, in light of a recent apartment fire that displaced 41 residents at a Union Gospel Mission owned building, the winning team opted to donate its entire winnings in addition to 15,000 pairs of socks and more than $45,000 worth of merchandise that was donated during the Day of Difference. The team, along with Bensussen and Deutsch, today presented the surprise donation check to Union Gospel Mission president Jeff Lilley.

“BDA’s spirit of giving back to their community has been awesome, and is deeply reflected in their own corporate culture,” said Lilley. “They serve as an exemplary model of how one organization can make a big impact in a community.”

About BDA
Bensussen Deutsch & Associates, Inc. (BDA), the nation's premier Merchandise Agency™, provides marketing services and customized branded merchandise to Fortune 500 enterprises, major sports leagues and global entertainment holding companies. Clients come to BDA to extend their reach through custom branded-merchandise campaigns, integrated e-commerce marketing, and sports and entertainment sponsorship activation. Global brands such as Bank of America, Dell, GlaxoSmithKline, ExxonMobil, FedEx, Ford Motor Company, GEICO and Major League Baseball are but a few of the household names that rely on BDA to bring their marketing campaigns to life through merchandise. BDA attained the coveted Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT) certification in 2008 highlighting the company’s advanced quality assurance practices for importing products from overseas. For more information on the power of merchandise, visit www.bdainc.com.