The weather outside was frightful, so members of the Michigan Promotional Professionals Association (MiPPA) did something delightful. The group held a coat drive during its annual TOM show, a regional tabletop rep show held Friday, Jan. 21, at The San Marino Club in Troy, MI.

The Michigan Promotional Professionals Association donated nearly 200 jackets and other pieces of outerwear to nonprofit Neighborhood House.

MiPPA collected nearly 200 coats, jackets, hats and other outerwear to be distributed to the homeless and others in need in Greater Detroit. The outerwear was donated to Neighborhood House, a Rochester Hills, MI-based nonprofit that has helped over 3,000 households a year work toward self-sustainability.

“I’m so proud to see the MiPPA community come together to support our communities,” said Eric Pehrson, 2022 MiPPA president and account executive with Creative Studio Promotions (asi/170976). “Winter in Michigan is no joke, and it’s our pleasure to help out those in need.”

He added that MiPPA plans to incorporate a giveback element to all of its trade shows this year, and that the coat drive was an incredible start to the initiative.

Paul Gualtieri, of HALO Branded Solutions (asi/356000) affiliate Paramount Marketing Group, championed the coat drive. The MiPPA board member and Hall of Fame honoree delivered the donated goods to Neighborhood House’s Clothes Closet program after the show. “Every square inch of his vehicle was stuffed with jackets, and I mean stuffed,” Pehrson said.

In 2020, Neighborhood House distributed more than 224,000 meals, provided holiday gifts and school supplies to more than 1,000 children and distributed more than 13,000 clothing items through its Clothes Closet, according to the nonprofit’s website.

According to Pehrson, MiPPA’s TOM Show was overall “a huge success,” with more than 180 distributors visiting the 46 exhibitors.