What Gift for Life does

Gift for Life is a volunteer-led, national charitable organization founded in 1992 by Peter Schauben (president of sales rep agency Schauben & Co) in response to the loss of industry colleagues to AIDS. It operates as a unified fundraising and awareness platform for the US gift and home industries, organizing event-based fundraising at major industry markets (High Point, Atlanta, Las Vegas, Dallas) and participating annually in AIDS Walk New York. The organization has cumulatively raised nearly $6 million since founding, with the largest single segment being hunger relief through World Central Kitchen (~$763,000 since the 2021 mission pivot) and HIV/AIDS programs through GMHC (~$500,000 since 2012 via AIDS Walk NY).

The organization's core programs are the Home vs Hunger initiative (launched October 2022 at High Point Market, nearly $50,000 raised to date), AIDS Walk New York team participation, and the recurring "Party with a Purpose" at-market events. Cause-marketing partners include NY NOW at Emerald X (which provides $5,000 matching contributions), ANDMORE, Currey & Company, Eichholtz, and Starbucks (via its WCK-aligned Odyssey Blend program). Pricing is donation-based: event admission fees (e.g., $100 per person for the 2024 "Party with Peter" wine tasting) and suggested minimum donations (e.g., $20 for Home vs Hunger events), supplemented by corporate matching gifts and direct donations.

Gift for Life is governed entirely by an unpaid volunteer board of gift and home industry executives and has no paid staff. It operates as a US-based nonprofit with headquarters in Newport News, Virginia, and a brand presence on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. The organization refreshed its logo in January 2026 to visually integrate red (AIDS awareness) and orange (hunger relief), and announced its first-ever Lifetime Humanitarian Award for founder Peter Schauben in June 2026.

Name

Gift for Life

Legal name

Gift for Life

Website

https://giftforlife.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Gift for Life is a volunteer-led US nonprofit founded in 1992 that unites the gift and home industries around HIV/AIDS and hunger-relief fundraising, having raised nearly $6 million cumulatively for beneficiaries including World Central Kitchen and GMHC through at-market events and AIDS Walk NY.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Fundraising Services

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Client Gifting Programs (HSACANAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

Keywords

• Charitable fundraising
• Hunger relief
• HIV/AIDS awareness
• Industry nonprofit
• Disaster relief donations

Headquarters

HQ city

Atascadero

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Others, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Direct Donations: Receives monetary donations from individuals and companies in the gift and home industries. Donations support World Central Kitchen hunger relief efforts and GMHC HIV/AIDS programs.
2. Event-based Fundraising: Raises funds through admission fees to fundraising events such as 'Party with Peter' wine tasting ($100 per person) and 'Party with a Purpose' events at industry markets. Includes 50/50 raffles and matching donation programs.
3. Cause Marketing Programs: Partners with companies that donate portions of sales or provide matching contributions. Companies like Currey & Company host events, Eichholtz sponsors events, and NY NOW provides matching pledges for AIDS Walk NY.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gift for Life is a volunteer-led, national charitable organization that unites the gift and home industries around humanitarian causes. It raises funds through industry-market events, cause-marketing partnerships, and direct donations, directing proceeds primarily to World Central Kitchen (hunger and disaster relief) and GMHC (HIV/AIDS prevention and care). The organization has raised nearly $6 million cumulatively since 1992.

Product overview

Gift for Life is a charitable organization that serves as the gift and home industries' longest-running, volunteer-led, national charitable organization. It operates as a unified fundraising and awareness platform connecting industry professionals with humanitarian causes. The organization runs three core initiatives: the Home vs Hunger Initiative (fighting hunger through World Central Kitchen), AIDS Walk New York Team Participation (supporting GMHC's HIV/AIDS programs), and Party with a Purpose Events (market-based fundraising gatherings). These programs are promoted through a monthly newsletter and supplemented by corporate donor partnerships. Founded in 1992, the all-volunteer organization has raised nearly $6 million for AIDS causes and over $763,000 for World Central Kitchen hunger relief efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly $6 million raised for AIDS research, education, treatment and care since 1992
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered supporting, primary and core.

• EichholtzsupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Host of Gift for Life's Home vs Hunger 'Party with a Purpose' event at High Point Market. Contributed $10,000 sponsorship and hosted the 2024 spring event.
• Currey & CompanysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2022Host of Gift for Life's Home vs Hunger 'Party with a Purpose' event at Atlanta Market in January 2026. Provides showroom venue for fundraising events.
• World Central Kitchen (WCK)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021World Central Kitchen is Gift for Life's primary beneficiary since 2021 pivot to hunger relief. Founded by Chef José Andrés in 2010, WCK provides fresh meals in response to crises and disasters worldwide. Gift for Life has raised over $763,000 for WCK, helping provide 100,000+ meals to those in need. The partnership supports WCK's mission to provide nourishment, comfort, and hope to people in crisis.
• ANDMOREcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Major industry partner providing marketing support, event hosting, and sponsorship. ANDMORE operates major markets in Atlanta, High Point, and Las Vegas where Gift for Life holds fundraising events. ANDMORE executives including Dorothy Belshaw and Sarah Mount have received Gift for Life's Industry Achievement Awards.
• GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis)primaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Beneficiary of Gift for Life's annual AIDS Walk New York team participation. GMHC provides HIV/AIDS prevention, care, advocacy, and mental health services in New York City. Team Gift for Life has cumulatively raised over $500,000 for GMHC since 2012.
• NY NOW at Emerald XcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Annual partner for AIDS Walk New York team. NY NOW provides $5,000 matching contributions and team support. The partnership includes joint team participation with members from both Gift for Life and NY NOW.
• StarbuckssupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2010Longtime partner of World Central Kitchen since 2019. Starbucks donates 100% of Odyssey Blend whole bean coffee sales to support WCK's humanitarian relief efforts worldwide.
• Dallas Market CentercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor industry market center and board member represented by Brittany Rigg. Partner for hosting fundraising events and industry engagement.
• GSMAsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner represented on Gift for Life board as part of 4 new board members added in 2026.
• DM MerchandisingsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner represented on Gift for Life board as part of 4 new board members added in 2026.
• David Youngson & AssociatessupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry partner represented on Gift for Life board as part of 4 new board members added in 2026.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GMHC (Gay Men's Health Crisis): GMHC is Gift for Life's AIDS Walk NY beneficiary and a leading HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and advocacy organization. It is directly comparable as a long-running HIV/AIDS service and fundraising organization, but operates direct service programs rather than acting purely as a fundraising intermediary.
• (RED): (RED) is a cause marketing organization that partners with iconic brands to fund HIV/AIDS programs, directly comparable to Gift for Life's industry-aligned fundraising model for AIDS causes. Both rely on corporate partnerships and consumer-facing campaigns to drive donations.
• amfAR (Foundation for AIDS Research): amfAR is a leading nonprofit dedicated to supporting AIDS research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and advocacy. It is comparable as a high-profile AIDS fundraising organization, though with a much larger scope and paid professional staff versus Gift for Life's industry-vertical focus.
• Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA): DIFFA mobilizes the design industry to fight AIDS through fundraising events and grants, closely paralleling Gift for Life's model of uniting a specific home/gift industry vertical around HIV/AIDS causes. Both are volunteer-driven, industry-affiliated AIDS charities.
• Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS: Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is a volunteer-led, industry-affiliated (theater) charitable organization raising funds for HIV/AIDS and other critical health services. It mirrors Gift for Life's model of mobilizing a specific industry's professionals for AIDS-related giving.
• World Central Kitchen: World Central Kitchen is Gift for Life's primary hunger relief beneficiary and operates cause marketing with corporate partners (e.g., Starbucks Odyssey Blend). It is comparable as a hunger-relief cause-marketing organization, though WCK operates direct service delivery globally rather than acting as a fundraising intermediary.

Broad incumbents

• Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation: EGPAF is a major global HIV/AIDS organization focused on pediatric prevention and treatment. It is comparable as a high-profile AIDS fundraising entity, though it operates direct global health programs with paid professional staff at a much larger scale than Gift for Life.

Emerging players

• National AIDS Memorial: The National AIDS Memorial is a charitable organization dedicated to preserving AIDS history and supporting those affected. It shares Gift for Life's HIV/AIDS focus but operates as a memorial/advocacy entity rather than an industry-affiliated fundraiser.
• Until There's a Cure Foundation: Until There's a Cure Foundation is a smaller HIV/AIDS fundraising organization that sells branded merchandise to fund prevention and care programs, comparable in cause focus but with a product-driven rather than industry-event-driven fundraising model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/GiftForLife
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gift-for-life
• Instagraminstagram.com/giftforlife_
• Xx.com/GiftForLife

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Gift for Life