CustomInk Launches 2nd Annual Anti-Bullying Campaign

Tysons Corner, VA – September 6, 2012 – CustomInk, the “design online” custom t-shirt company, today announced the launch of its annual Be Good to Each Other campaign to stop bullying. Coinciding with the back-to-school season and October’s National Bullying Prevention month, the campaign encourages student groups and others to take a stand for kindness and tolerance by designing and wearing custom bullying prevention t-shirts. All profits from the sale of shirts will benefit CustomInk’s non-profit partner — PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center, which unites, engages and educates communities nationwide to address bullying through its resources. The Be Good to Each Other campaign is an effort of the CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative, the company’s charitable giving and public service arm, which strives to use the power of custom t-shirts to do good.

“This campaign is important to us because we believe in the Golden Rule. CustomInk tries to treat everyone with compassion and respect and encourages others – especially kids- to be good to each other,” commented CustomInk Co-founder and President Marc Katz.  “Custom t-shirts have the power to unite people in positive ways, and creating and wearing bullying prevention designs is a great way to promote kindness and tolerance.”

This is the second year CustomInk will undertake the Be Good to Each Other campaign.  In its first year, the effort united 4,000 people against bullying through custom t-shirts and raised thousands of dollars for the bullying prevention programs of CustomInk’s nonprofit partner.

 Custom T-Shirts to Support National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month

Statistics show that between 20 and 30% of school-aged kids in the United States have been bullied.  The “Be Good to Each Other” campaign invites students – with their class, team, club or even individually – to use CustomInk’s “design online” website to create a wearable bullying prevention message.  CustomInk will donate all profits from the sale of custom bullying prevention t-shirts to PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center.  Participants can use the voucher code “BeGood” when designing their shirt.

Students are encouraged to wear their shirts throughout the month of October – National Bullying Prevention Month.  Or, they may opt to make a custom orange t-shirt to wear on UNITY DAY on Wednesday, October 10, 2012.  On this day, PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center encourages people to wear orange to show support for those who have been bullied.

 “We are thrilled to partner with CustomInk on this campaign to build awareness and raise funds for bullying prevention,” said Julie Hertzog, Director of PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center. “We all need to work together to create a safe school environment where everyone feels valued and protected. By wearing orange and coming together on Unity Day, people everywhere can show how much they care.”

 Celebrities Join the Cause

A number of celebrities are lending their voice to support the PACER Center cause.  Participating personalities include:  Ray Rice (NFL Running Back, Baltimore Ravens), Rebecca Black (teen pop star), Janel Parrish (Pretty Little Liars), Katie Leclerc (Switched at Birth), Kylie Morgan (Opening Act), David Boudia (U.S. Olympic Diver & Gold Medalist) and Entertainment Personality, Micah Jesse.

Each celebrity will design his or her own custom bullying prevention t-shirt using the CustomInk website.  Their designs will be featured in the “Be Good to Each Other” t-shirt gallery.  Celebrities also will harness the power of social media to engage their fan bases in active conversation throughout National Bullying Prevention Month in October and to promote UNITY DAY.

CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative

The Be Good to Each Other campaign is an effort of the CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative, which encompasses the company’s charitable giving and public service efforts.  The Three Hearts name was inspired by the company’s mascot, Inky the CustomInk Octopus, because in addition to having eight arms, octopuses have three hearts.  The CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative aims to use the power of custom t-shirts to do some good in the world.

About CustomInk (www.customink.com)

Founded in 2000, CustomInk is the leader in custom apparel for groups & occasions. CustomInk.com enables people to design and order custom t-shirts and accessories for their clubs, companies, charities, family reunions, and more. Customers enjoy free design support from CustomInk’s acclaimed service representatives, and each custom design is proofed by a professional artist to ensure it turns out perfectly – whether it’s being printed on one t-shirt or thousands. CustomInk’s Design Lab provides a huge font library and selection of art, including hundreds of new images from Charles S. Anderson Design, and allows users to upload their own custom artwork.  Those who wish to make t-shirts for groups can take advantage of the website’s simple group ordering system and online sign-up sheet for ease in coordinating their order with friends, teammates or classmates.

Headquartered in Northern Virginia, the company is dynamic and forward-thinking and has been recognized numerous times for rapid growth and workplace excellence. CustomInk strives to treat customers, vendors, and team members as it would want to be treated and has a strong sense of innovation and individual responsibility. To learn more, visit www.customink.com/our_story/ or call 800-293-4232.

PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center (www.PACER.org/bullying)                                                                    Every day, 160,000 kids in America stay home from school to avoid being bullied. PACER’s National Bullying Prevention Center educates communities nationwide to prevent bullying through the use of creative, interactive resources including the websites TeensAgainstBullying.org and KidsAgainstBullying.org. Based in Minneapolis, PACER offers educators, students, families, and individuals the tools they need to address bullying in schools, recreational programs, and community organizations. For more information, visit PACER.org/bullying.