Impressions - August 2018 - 33

EdEn Autism At A GlAncE
C ompan y n ame: Eden Autism/Eden Threads
address: 2 Merwick Road, Princeton, N.J. 08540
Foun ded: 1975
deCoraTIn G meTH ods oFFered: Screen printing
C ompan y WebsITe: edenautism.org

Robert Valluzzo, Eden Threads'
screen-print manager, says the
venture has helped participants
learn teamwork and skills
applicable to a productiondriven environment.

capitol. New Jersey Partners in Policymaking is a leadership-development and
advocacy-education program for adults
with developmental disabilities who are
older than 18. This group prepares the
next generation of disability advocates
to work toward meaningful change in
the state.
Eden Threads also recently produced an
order of more than 200 tie-dyed shirts for
an annual softball event to raise awareness
for the K.I.N.D. Benefit softball game.The
order took six participants two days to
complete.Valluzzo says those funds will
go to Mallory's Army Foundation, a group
dedicated to raising bullying awareness.
Eden Threads regularly prints T-shirts
for teams that are registered for its annual 5K fundraiser, held each October.
Teams include parents of students, corporate sponsors, and student and adult
participants.
Industry Support
Since being hired in August 2017,
Valluzzo has relished the opportunity
to work in the organization's screenprinting shop. His goal since high school
had been to become a graphic artist.
Instead, he earned a business degree and
worked in the insurance industry for
more than 30 years.
"I was sick with cancer (non-Hodgkin's
Lymphoma) and recovered [to the point

that] I could go back to work part-time,"
he says."I realized the need for some life
changes and less stress. I interviewed for
the screen-print manager position and
got hired at Eden to run the shop."
Valluzzo attended the 2018 Imprinted Sportswear Shows (ISS) trade
show and conference, held this past
March in Atlantic City, New Jersey, to
network and learn more about screen
printing. In an indication of the industry's spir it of cooperation and
goodwill among members, he made new
relationships and received support from key
decorated-apparel industry veterans.
"When I arrived in Atlantic City, I
took a pre-conference workshop with
Charlie Taublieb, who was a great instructor, teaching me and refreshing
me about graphic arts and how to do
things simply and efficiently," he recalls.
"Charlie and I still keep in contact with
[each other] today."
At an ISS reception,Valluzzo partnered
with Fred Stern of Oceanside Screen
Printing Inc. and Alan Gerber of Plan
B Promotions, both of whom own large
printing businesses."They took the time
to meet me and discuss how they can help
me continue to develop and improve my
shop to run effortlessly," Valluzzo says.
"They invited me to visit their facilities
any time, and I plan to take them up on
the offer."
Stern and Gerber shared their admira-

tion for his dedication to working with
the autistic community. This brought
Valluzzo tremendous pride and today,
they remain connected. Jay Margulies of
AlbaChem was helpful in further introducingValluzzo to the decorated-apparel
community.
"Jay introduced me to Jay Jessup of
Charles M. Jessup Inc., [located] in the
tiny town of Keasbey, New Jersey," he
says."Jay is now my newest friend from
New Jersey and supplier of equipment
and imaging items. I visited Jay at his
shop and sat for two days with him to
learn what I actually needed in my shop
and what I can do to be super effective."
Eden Threads historically sources blank
apparel from national distributor S&S
Activewear.Valluzzo met his local account
representative, Meg Erber, in Atlantic
City and they have since communicated
via phone and Facebook about specific
client needs related to styles and materials.
"S&S Activewear has a local warehouse
where we simply place an order, and I
drive 10 minutes to the facility and pick
up my orders to save on shipping."
Valuzzo says his focus for the future
is to use relationships, mentorships and
connections to learn, grow and develop
Eden Threads. He is appreciative of the
many connections and relationships he
forged in Atlantic City, as he looks forward to the next conference in 2018.
His message is simple:"Thank you for
helping Eden Threads grow." 
Jennifer Morrell is an award-winning writer who
has written for a number of national consumer
and trade publications. For more information
or to comment on this article, email Jennifer at
jennmorrell@hotmail.com.
AUGUST 2018

P.33
http://www.edenautism.org
Impressions - August 2018

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