We’ve been a supporter of Kayak for a Cure from early days. It’s so exicting to see the event grow and now develop into a multi-site, multi-country mission to raise money for cancer research.  The ‘flagship’ Vancouver event was held yesterday and it was a huge success with more than $35k raised.

Now, the event is getting press – watch the video here.

One of the programs we’ve put in place that I’m the most proud of is one by one® .  The program offers one order of $500 in promotional products – each business day – to a worthwhile charitable/non-profit organization. These organizations are involved in some incredible and important work and the promotional items they select help them thank volunteers, spread the word, raise money or are put to use in other creative ways.  In the end, that $500 becomes something much more.

We’ve given products to hundreds of organizations over the past few years. We just revamped the one by one® website so you can read more about these organizations (there are some truly inspiring stories), see where they’re located and, if you’re involved with a non-profit, apply for a grant.

There are some wonderful things happening out there. For proof, just visit the one®  by one the site by clicking here. And if you know of a group that could use this kind of help, please spread the word.

(OSHKOSH, Wis.) – Promotional products retailer 4imprint donated $137,500 in in-kind grants to charitable organizations in 2008 through its one by one charitable giving program.

Making new grants every business day of the year, the Oshkosh, Wis.-based company supported 275 charitable organizations in the United States and Canada. Among these organizations were charities from 43 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces.

“The success of this program comes from the organizations that do the really important work helping others,” said Kevin Lyons-Tarr, President, 4imprint. “The demand for their services is great. And, their work has never been more important than it is right now. It’s exciting to see how they use promotional products in creative ways to support the work they do to meet the needs of the communities they serve.”

In-kind grant applications for 2009 are now being accepted at http://onebyone.4imprint.com.

From October 1-December 31, 2008, 4imprint awarded a total of $26,500 to:

ABATE of Wisconsin Safe Rider, Inc. – Black River Falls, Wis.

A-MAN Saturday Science Academy – Inglewood, Calif.

American Cancer Society – De Pere, Wis.

American Red Cross, Outagamie Chapter – Appleton, Wis.

The Arc Fox Cities – Menasha, Wis.

Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, Calumet Co. – Chilton, Wis.

BayouClinic, Inc. – Bayou La Batre, Ala.

Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health, Inc. – Ridgeland, S.C.

Best Buddies – New York, N.Y.

Boise Museum Association – Boise, Idaho

Camp Summit – Dallas, Texas

The Canadian Hearing Society – London, Ontario

Child & Family Services of Michigan, Inc. – Okemos, Mich.

Child Adoption Resource Association – New London, Conn.

Communities in Schools, Dallas Region, Inc. (CISDR) – Dallas, Texas

D.V. Read and Learn – Drayton Valley, Alberta

Day One – South Portland, Maine

Dental and Nutritional Public Teaching – Anchorage, Alaska

Downtown Oshkosh Business Improvement District (BID) – Oshkosh, Wis.

GFWC New Tampa Junior Woman’s Club – Tampa, Fla.

The Giving Movement Organization – Plano, Texas

Green Lake Area Animal Shelter – Green Lake, Wis.

Hale Mahaolu – Kahului, Hawaii

I’m Too Young for This Cancer Foundation – Brooklyn, N.Y.

Ingleside Senior Services – Wilmington, Del.

Lake Erie Nature & Science Center – Bay Village, Ohio

Linn-Mar Community School District – Marion, Iowa

Macomb Homeless Coalition – Warren, Mich.

Mid-Eastern Council on Chemical Abuse (MECCA) – Iowa City, Iowa

Necessities Bag Sacramento Inc. – Sacramento, Calif.

New Beginnings International Children’s & Family Services – Tupelo, Miss.

North Fond du Lac Fire Department – North Fond du Lac, Wis.

Operation Gratitude – Encino, Calif.

Operation: Kid Equip – Royal Oak, Mich.

Oshkosh Fire Department, Local 316 – Oshkosh, Wis.

PCBOE/SCC Adult Education & Literacy Program – Somerset, Ky.

Pediatric Therapy Center – Wenatchee, Wash.

People’s Resource Center – Wheaton, Ill.

Rebuilding Together, Fox Valley – Appleton, Wis.

REST Ministries, Inc. – Converse, Ind.

Scenarios U.S.A. – Brooklyn, N.Y.

Second Harvest – Toronto, Ontario

Shalom Ministries – Spokane, Wash.

Shining Stars Foundation – Tabernash, Colo.

St. Clair Children’s Advocacy Center – Pell City, Ala.

Sunrise of Pasco County, Inc. – Dade City, Fla.

Sweethearts for Soldiers – San Diego, Calif.

ThedaCare Physicians – Oshkosh, Wis.

Total Woman Body System – Memphis, Tenn.

Tyler Foundation, Inc. – Groton, Mass.

United Way of Baytown Area – Baytown, Texas

Youth Heart Watch at CHOP-Sk8 the States – Philadelphia, Pa.

Zuni Healthy Lifestyles Program – Zuni, N.M.

About 4imprint’s one by one program

one by one is the charitable giving program of 4imprint. Now in its fourth year, 4imprint’s one by one program supports nonprofits with IRS-approved 501(c)3 status or Canadian-registered charities, religious organizations and accredited schools. Since the program began, the promotional products retailer has awarded nearly a half-million dollars in promotional products grants to nonprofit organizations.

4imprint, Inc., is the North American division of 4imprint Group, plc, an international provider of promotional products, imprinted items and corporate gifts. Learn more at http://onebyone.4imprint.com or follow the one by one program on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/4onebyone.