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Michael O. Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Herbalife was honored last week by A Place Called Home. Johnson was one of several people honored by A Place Called Home, a non profit youth center, at its 15th annual “Gala for the Children.”

A Place Called Home was founded in 1993 by Debrah Constance, to provide at risk youth with a positive, safe environment where they can learn valuable life skills. The organization also provides a safe haven for youth to keep them free of the influences of drugs and gangs.

Johnson received the Debrah Constance Humanitarian Award, named after the organizations founder, for founding the Casa Herbalife Program to help children around th world receive proper nutrition. Johnson founded Casa Herbalife in 2005 and today there are 40 Casa Herbalife programs in location all over the world, with plans for 15 more to be up and running by the end of 2009. A place Called Home was the first Casa Herbalife partner charity.

The event was held at the Beverly Hilton, other honorees included Adam Fogelson, president of marketing and distribution of Universal Pictures and Sheila and John Bryant, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE. Hosting the event was American Idol judge Randy Jackson and the even also included a performance by Idol finalist Syesha Mercado.

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The Direct Selling Association will be on hand this week to help the Today Show kick off their annual Toy Drive. The 15th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy Drive will be launched Monday November 24th at 8:30 AM. This will be the fifth year that the DSA has been a part of the annual drive.

The DSA will kick off the drive by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza. Thirty two direct selling companies have come together to donate products to the drive, the total donation coming in at over $9 million dollars in products. Seven of the DSA’s companies will be featured in spots on the TODAY show during the holiday season.

Items donated include books, clothing, toiletries and of course toys for children and families all across the United States. Over the past five years, DSA member companies have donated over $37 million dollars in cash, product and services to the Toy Drive.

This is a a brilliant move on the part of the DSA and the member companies that are a part of this. Given the economic times, network marketing companies are going to continue to thrive as more and more people seek additional forms of income.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:
4Life
Advocare
Amway
Arbonne
Avon Products, Inc
Blessings Unlimited
Butterfly Worldwide, LLC
Clever Container
Cookie Lee
Creative Memories
CUTCO
DeMarle at Home
DeTech
Essential Bodywear
Fifth Avenue Collection
The Happy Gardener
lia sophia
The Longaberger Company
Mary Kay Inc
National Companies
Nature’s Sunshine
Oxyfresh
The Pampered Chef
PartyLite Gifts
Purse Party, Inc
Shaklee Corporation
Signature HomeStyles
Southern Living at Home
The Southwestern Company
Stampin’ Up!
UDesign Jewelry
Vantel Pearls

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The Avon Foundation has partnered with the U.S. State Department to announce a public-private partnership help combat breast cancer around the world.

The two organizations will join forces to participate at the 2008 Breast Cancer Global Congress held next week in Washington D.C. The event will include participants from over 40 countries around the world who will come together at the Department of the State’s George C. Marshall Center in Washington D.C. Among the participants will be researchers, doctors, public health figures, and survivors of the disease who will discuss progress in research and treatments as well as new preventative measures.

The Avon Foundation was founded in 1955 and has become a leader in the fight against breast cancer. In 1992 the foundation created the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, which is dedicated solely to the fight against breast cancer. The foundation raises millions of dollars every year through various events including the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer to support education, screening and research. Since 1992, they have raised almost 600 million dollars and have become the larges single contributor towards the fight against breast cancer.

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I received an email today from Jennifer Dempsey, Communications Coordinator at Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada about a recent story we did about XanGo and the Wish Foundation- We incorrectly stated that the company had partnered with the Make a Wish Foundation.

The correct story should have read that XanGo has partnered with the Childrens Wish Foundation of Canada.

We apologize for the mistake. And just as a reminder, the XanGo Wishmaker Parade 2008 is October 18 and 19 across Canada. You still have time to participate or donate to the cause.

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