Sale of 26 Martha Stewart Ponchos on eBay, donated to AmeriCares

(PRLEAP.COM) Manhattan, New York - December 21, 2005 - On September 13, 2005 The Lion Brand Yarn Company (http://www.lionbrand.com) had filled the studio audience of the new Martha Stewart show with dozens of poncho-wearing Martha enthusiasts. In addition to the 140 audience members there were 27 Lion Brand associates who wore ponchos which were hand knit or crocheted especially for the show.

During the taping, a Lion Brand employee suggested auctioning the ponchos off on eBay and donating the funds to charity. The resulting charity auction on eBay, sparked a bidding war that drove poncho prices up to $400 in some cases—about ten times what a Martha Stewart “Coming Home” poncho would normally sell for on eBay. Each poncho sold included a letter stating that it was worn by an audience member on the Martha show, along with a photo of the Lion Brand group wearing the ponchos on the set of the show.

"It was quite exciting to see the public’s enthusiasm for these auctions on eBay," said David Blumenthal CEO of the Lion Brand Yarn Company. "The generosity of the bidders is now going to help the victims of this summer’s Hurricanes. We are very pleased to be able to work with AmeriCares on this project."

Lion Brand, 128 year old, family owned business believes deeply in supporting socially responsible endeavors. Their daily business operations reflect this philosophy as well, by hosting the single largest database of charity organizations involved with yarn crafts on the Internet. This service alone allows hundreds of thousands of Lion’s customers and the public to find charitable organizations related to knitting, crochet and yarn crafts.

"We are very grateful for the fundraising efforts of Lion Brand for our Hurricane Katrina relief efforts," said Trish Tweedley, vice president of AmeriCares Hurricane Recovery Program. "Through the support of generous donations like this one, AmeriCares is able to continue providing assistance to those most affected by this year’s devastating storm."

About Lion Brand Yarn
The Lion Brand Yarn Company, a 128-year-old entity and is America’s oldest hand knitting yarn company. Founded in 1878, the company began operation in New York and has been a leading supplier of quality hand knitting and crochet yarns ever since. Throughout its history, Lion Brand Yarn has been at the forefront of yarn trends while consistently providing its customers with the highest quality product, service and inspiration. Visit their Web site at http://www.LionBrand.com

About AmeriCares
AmeriCares is a nonprofit humanitarian aid and disaster relief organization that supports long-term medical assistance programs and provides emergency relief in the U.S. and around the world. In the U.S., AmeriCares provides basic medical services for the uninsured, refurbishes the homes of the physically and financially disadvantaged and gives a summer camping experience to inner-city children affected by HIV/AIDS. Since it was established in 1982, AmeriCares has distributed more than $5 billion in humanitarian aid to 137 countries. For more information, visit AmeriCares web site at http://www.americares.org ; or call 1-800-486-HELP

Contact Info:
Ilana Rabinowitz
Ilana@Lionbrand.com
1-201-804-3999