T.J. Maxx Benefits NAAR & Autism Research

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T.J. Maxx Benefits NAAR & Autism Research

" You Should Go " is More Than a Slogan, It's a Call to Action!

19 March 2004

The National Alliance for Autism Research is honored to announce a new

partnership that has been formed with the national retailer T.J. Maxx that

includes

an in-store fundraising campaign benefiting NAAR and promoting the need for

increased funding for autism research.

T.J. Maxx, a division of The TJX Companies, Inc. based in Framingham, MA,

which also owns Marshalls, HomeGoods and A.J. in the United States, is

launching the “Footprints†program in more than 750 of its stores throughout

the

country. The campaign runs from March 21 to April 10, 2004, and invites T.J.

Maxx customers to purchase NAAR Footprints at check-out for a donation of $1.

All proceeds benefit NAAR and all Footprints purchased will be displayed in

the stores.

Every T.J. Maxx store in the United States is participating in the campaign

and will feature window posters, register signs and general information on

autism and NAAR that are designed to educate customers and store associates

about

the disorder and the need for increased funding for biomedical research.

" T.J. Maxx is proud to support NAAR in their commitment to funding autism

research and raising public awareness. The new " Footprints " initiative will give

both our associates and customers the chance to show their enthusiasm and

generosity for this important cause, " said Ted English, president and CEO of The

TJX Companies.

He and NAAR Honorary Board Member Doug Flutie recently taped a special

message for a video that is being shown to all T.J. Maxx associates that

introduces

them to NAAR, the challenges of autism and this new campaign.

NAAR’s partnership with T.J. Maxx is the largely the result of the work of

NAAR Trustee Margie Pascetta, chair of the New England Walk F.A.R. for NAAR in

2001, co-chair of the 2002 Walk and president and founder of NAAR’s New

England

chapter. Over the past two years, Margie developed a relationship with Ted

English and the company, which became a major sponsor of the New England Walks.

That relationship has led to this exciting, new partnership with T.J. Maxx.

“We feel extremely lucky to have T.J. Maxx signed on as a partner that shares

NAAR's vision of funding and advancing biomedical research,†said Margie. " In

addition to raising critically needed funds, the promotion will increase

public awareness of a cause that has been sorely neglected. We are deeply

grateful

for the support of Ted English and the associates of T.J. Maxx, who have all

made this promotion possible.â€

For more information on T.J. Maxx, or to find a store in your community,

please visit <A HREF= " http://www.tjmaxx.com/ " >www.tjmaxx.com</A>.