What is Gifting Brands?
So, what exactly are we doing here?
We are creating a totally new experience. We want to take something we love (shopping!) and make it fun AND be able to give back to our favorite charities.
So how did this crazy thing start? Hear it from our Founder Jeannie Barsam:
"After spending over 20 years in the retail industry helping large companies become more profitable, I decided to utilize my love of retail and years of experience to help others.
Every year, charities across the country work incredibly hard to plan galas, silent auctions, scholarship fundraisers, and community events — and they need quality items to make those auctions successful. At the same time, jewelry, accessory, and beauty brands often have excess inventory sitting in a warehouse with nowhere meaningful to go.
Gifting Brands was created to connect those two realities.
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that partners with luxury and fashion brands to donate new inventory into curated auction packages, then places those packages with vetted nonprofits across the United States — completely free of charge. Charities pay only a small shipping fee of $20 to $25. That is it.
How it started
Our Founder and CEO, Jeannie Barsam, spent more than 30 years in senior retail leadership — with roles at Signet Jewelers, Zales, Talbots, Old Navy, and others — specializing in inventory management and strategic planning across multi-billion-dollar operations.
She saw two problems no one was solving together: brands with excess inventory they didn't know what to do with, and charities that couldn't afford quality auction items to elevate their events. Gifting Brands was born from that realization — connecting what exists with what is needed.
We launched in 2020, and the response from both brands and charities has been humbling.
What we do
Brand partners donate new or excess jewelry, accessories, and beauty products to Gifting Brands. We receive the inventory, curate it into high-quality auction packages, and ship those packages to 501(c)(3) nonprofits running galas, raffles, silent auctions, and scholarship fundraisers.
Charities can let us curate a package for them, browse and self-select from our inventory, or schedule a call with Jeannie directly. We work with organizations supporting women, children, families, education, health, and communities of all kinds.
The impact so far
Since 2020, Gifting Brands has supported more than 300 charity events and helped nonprofits raise over $800,000 through donated auction packages.
We have been honored to support organizations including charity: water, Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County, Boys & Girls Club, First Command Educational Foundation, and hundreds more.
"Your donation helped us raise over $240,000 for the youth in our local community. The jewelry was a HUGE hit." — Boys & Girls Club of Vista
"One pair of earrings reached 213% of retail value. The pieces drew significant attention, rave reviews, and competitive bidding." — Breakthrough T1D Dallas Gala
Where luxury meets purpose
We believe nothing of value should go to waste when it could help someone else. Excess inventory is not a liability — it is an opportunity to fund scholarships, support survivors, advance medical research, and strengthen communities.
If you represent a brand with inventory to donate, or a nonprofit planning an event, we would love to hear from you.
Visit giftingbrands.org or email us at admin@giftingbrands.com.