PRODUCT DONATION PROCEDURES

IHA has developed a donation program for exhibitors wishing to donate all, or part of, their product at the conclusion of the Show.

IT’S AS EASY AS 1, 2, 3! HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO…

1. Contact one of our approved charities before coming to the Show. A list of IHA approved charities can be found in the Product Donation Program section of the online Exhibitor Services Kit. You may also decide to donate while on show-site, but why wait? Call now to make the donation process easier.
2. Once on-site, visit the Exhibitor Service Center in your hall to fill out a Material Handling Agreement (MHA) form to indicate your product donation. This form will be available beginning Monday, March 18 at 12:00 p.m. until Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the following locations: South Building – Lower level under the food pods at center of exhibit hall and North Building – N230
3. Complete the Product Donation Merchandise Pass Form detailing what you would like to donate and return it to the Exhibitor Services Center during the Show, but no later than Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. Please bring a valid ID and Exhibitor Badge to finalize this process. Both the MHA and Product Donation Merchandise Pass must be completed to make your donation.

EXHIBITORS SHOULD UNDERSTAND THEIR ROLE IN THE PROCESS IN ORDER FOR THE DONATION OF PRODUCT TO GO SMOOTHLY. THE RULES INDICATED BELOW ARE INTENDED TO REDUCE THEFT AT THE SHOW AND ULTIMATELY BENEFIT THE EXHIBITORS.

General Rules:

• While on-site, charities are only allowed to solicit exhibitors for new donations on Tuesday, March 19, beginning at 10:00 a.m. They are not allowed to solicit on Sunday or Monday.
• IHA is a not-for-profit organization committed to protecting our tax exempt status. In an effort to ensure we are in compliance with all city, local and state taxing authorities and their regulations, with the support of our Board of Directors, we prohibit “cash sales” during the Show. “Cash sales” is defined as the purchase of goods where money transfers hands for the exchange of product. Violation of this policy may result in your company being barred from participation in future shows. As the selling of product continues to be an issue, IHA will be more vigilant in the policing of this policy. Please note that Trade Guests or Industry Affiliates are not approved to remove any product from the exhibit floor. Product given to Trade Guests or Industry Affiliates will be confiscated by security.
• Donating your product to a non-authorized charity or selling your product to an attendee will result in product confiscation at exhibit hall exit points by Show security.
• If you are solicited by an unapproved charity or organization, please inform Sarah Wilson at [email protected] (pre-show) or +1-312-791-6600 (on-site).
• When donating your entire booth, you acknowledge that this includes personally-owned display components, not rented items. Any rental items mistakenly taken by charity, that were not properly identified, will be at your expense.

Tuesday, March 19th (5:30 p.m.)

• At the break of the Show, all charity personnel will be allowed access to the floor to begin packing their donated products. Exhibitors are encouraged to have at least one employee in the booth until the charity arrives to ensure that the correct product is packed.
• Any product being removed from the Show floor by the charity must be itemized on the documents you submitted at the Exhibitor Services Center.
• Charities will not be allowed to leave the Show floor with the donated product unless it directly corresponds to the documents the exhibitor submitted.
• To reduce the possibility of theft at the Show, exhibitors are not allowed to give their exhibitor badges to charity personnel. Each individual with an exhibitor badge attempting to remove product off the floor at the conclusion of the Show will be asked for a photo ID and business card, which must correspond to their exhibitor badge.

AFTER THE SHOW

• Since no goods or services were exchanged, your charitable donation may qualify as “non-taxable” for your company. Be sure to keep the contact information for the charity you donated to which may be required when itemizing your charitable deductions.