Pipefine Patio Furniture

WARREN, Mich. — Art Van Furniture teamed with WXYZ-TV here to collect more than 50,000 pounds of food this season in the Together We Can food drive.

Three Art Van semi trucks delivered the nonperishable items to Gleaners Community Food Bank, where they were to be sorted and delivered to needy recipients. One in every four Michigan households is facing hunger, officials said.

The food was collected at the 34 Art Van Furniture locations during the month-long campaign, the latest in a three-year partnership with the TV station.

“This is a great example of power in numbers,” said Art Van President Gary Van Elslander. “We are so grateful to our guests and all others who brought food to our collection barrels, allowing us to feed so many people, topping last year’s remarkable drive.”

Last year, the joint effort collected 40,000 pounds of food.

Every month, Gleaners feeds around 100,000 families in Metro Detroit. Anne Schenk, a spokesperson for the food bank, said the food drive “really comes right as we are leading into the holiday season when we see need really spike. When the community really comes together, it helps us help our hungry neighbors.”

Nearly 3,000 children will receive bicycles this year thanks to a campaign hosted by Ashley Furniture HomeStore in Huntsville, Ala.

This is the ninth year the retailer has hosted the Bikes or Bust campaign, which benefits the U.S. Marines’ Toys for Tots holiday program.

The Nov. 18-22 event brought in a record 2,849 bicycles. As part of the campaign, Mojo, a morning show host from local radio station 104.3, urged listeners to donate a new bike or money while he spent 104 hours on a 40-foot scissor lift in temperatures that dropped in the low 20s.

Woody Marks, owner of the Huntsville store, said he was pleased with the record-breaking campaign.

“A bike is one of our first freedoms as a child,” he said. “I love being able to have this opportunity to make a difference.”

AUSTIN, Texas — Austin-based mattress retailer Factory Mattress has teamed with mattress manufacturer Tempur-Pedic and the Red Cross to provide beds to families affected by the devastating Bastrop wildfires in Texas.

Over the next few weeks, more than 1,000 Tempur-Pedic mattresses, valued at more than $1.3 million, will be donated. Factory Mattress also will provide box spring foundations, in conjunction with vendors.

“The entire Factory Mattress family has its roots in central Texas, so when a tragedy like this occurs, it affects us all,” said Stephen Frey Jr., co-owner and director of marketing. “We are happy to assist in any way possible, and truly appreciative of Temper-Pedic for their generous support.”

Factory Mattress has been involved in local charitable efforts for more than 30 years, including donating mattresses to tornado victims in Jarrell, Texas, in 1997.

“This is our way of giving back,” said Stephen Frey Sr., co-owner. “Our family has always received such strong support from the community, so it’s a blessing that Temper-Pedic has supported us during this time so that we may help our neighbors.”

KUNMING, China — One of this city’s newest furniture retailers has the look and feel of an IKEA store.

But don’t be fooled. The Swedish retail giant has not opened a store here. It’s all part of latest wave of Chinese knockoffs — fake retail formats. Kunming is the same city where a blogger recently stumbled upon a fake Apple store.