IFDA Honors Chris Madden

Staff -- Home Textiles Today, 2/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

King of Prussia, Pa. —

For her "Operation Cozy Comfort," in which she sent hundreds of blankets to wounded American soldiers in Iraq, designer Chris Madden was recently honored with a presidential commendation from the International Furnishings and Design Association.

The tribute came from Dave Gilbert, who made it his last official act as the 2008 president of IFDA, a worldwide professional alliance of residential and commercial furnishings and design industry players.

Madden, whose branded home textiles line is sold at JCPenney, was contacted by Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. to help provide a "softer touch of home" to wounded soldiers in Iraq. She approached her blanket vendor, WestPoint Home, for a donation of Chris Madden-branded plush twin blankets, of which ultimately 500 were sent to the Air Force Hospital in Iraq.

The IFDA commendation to Chris Madden read, in part, "For your efforts to bring comfort to those who sacrifice on our behalf, we salute you."

Madden responded, "Despite these tumultuous and difficult economic times, it remains vital that we continue to be vigilant in our philanthropic efforts to help those causes and organizations that are near and dear to our hearts."