News

Before we leave the month of January, we would like to offer a gentle reminder to our readers of the profound gift that we can give another human being – blood donation. During the winter, especially around the holidays, there are often shortages in blood donations. This is very understandable as we definitely are busy. At the same time, hospital demands for blood donations are abnormally high during that time.

This is the reason that January is designated “National Blood Donor Month”. In January the call goes out from the American Red Cross organization and other organizations to please, if you can, donate in January.

As we know, blood is very much needed by individuals undergoing surgery. Other urgent needs are emergencies, cancer treatments, and chronic conditions. According to the Red Cross, someone in the U.S. needs blood every two seconds. That’s an amazing statistic! Donations of blood are truly a gift to those in the position of needing our help. So… at the end of a very wonderful gift-giving season in 2025, we can begin 2026 by giving the most personal gift, and perhaps save a life.

How to Participate

A Google search gives us some information on participation in this drive.

“Donate Blood: Find a local donation center via the American Red Cross or America’s Blood Centers. (link below)

“Meet Eligibility: Donors must typically be at least 17 years old and weigh over 110 pounds.

“Promotions: The Red Cross offers incentives, like entry into a Super Bowl drawing, for donations made by January 25, 2026, for Super Bowl LX.

“Key Blood Types in Demand – Type O: Often in high demand as a universal donor for transfusions.

“Platelets: Also critically needed and have a short shelf life.”

Find a donation location near you at this [LINK]

A Gift of Life

We are not being overly dramatic to say that a donation of blood is a gift of life. Any one of us who has survived an illness requiring blood transfusions will agree – the gift of blood is a gift of life.

We found some very touching stories at a website called “The Blood Connection”. The following message is offered from a gentleman who is realizing the gift he can give by donating his type “O” blood.

“It feels like God blessed me with this type because he had a plan for me to go share it to others without judgement to age, gender, race, religion or financial status. I find that rewarding. Having said that, when I see that label “Baby Blood” attached to the bag I feel like just maybe I will help save a child’s life! That indeed is a great feeling of accomplishment for just giving up a few minutes of my time. I often try to think of what a family may be facing with the need for blood for their child. I’d rather be blessed to be on the giving end than the receiving end.”

Thank You All

We so very much appreciate our Readers, our AMS Associates, and our valued Client Partners. Here we go into 2026, with all of our hopes and plans. If it’s possible, we can begin the year with a gift that has a great deal of meaning for the recipient… a gift of Life.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

We’ll begin with an interesting quote: “Heroes are not made. They are born out of circumstances and rise to the occasion when their spirit can no longer coexist with the hypocrisy of injustice to others.” ― Shannon L. Alder

Monday, January 19, is a day set aside to honor an American hero, Dr. Martin Luther King. In doing the work he was called by his spirit to do, he put his life at risk. This is the decision of a true hero. He believed that a culture could be advanced without violence. The advancement he marched and spoke and died for was civil rights, or the right of all citizens of the US to experience equality. What he fought for was a shift in consciousness, and he did succeed. That shift occurred, and we are deeply grateful that racial segregation is a thing of the past.

Montgomery Bus Boycott

Let’s look into the hypocrisy of injustice that his spirit could not coexist with, beginning with the movement to change the citywide “Jim Crow” laws regarding bus travel in the city of Montgomery, Alabama. We know the sad truth that Black people were relegated to the ‘back of the bus’. Weary of the insult to her being, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white woman. She was arrested for this decision. Here’s what Google says about Dr. King’s response.

“The Montgomery Improvement Association (MIA) was a pivotal civil rights organization formed in Montgomery, Alabama, in December 1955, to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott after Rosa Parks’ arrest, electing Martin Luther King, Jr. as its first president. The MIA, composed of Black ministers and leaders, successfully managed the year-long boycott, challenging bus segregation with nonviolent tactics, organizing carpools, and bringing national attention to racial injustice, ultimately leading to the Supreme Court ruling against bus segregation and launching King into the national spotlight.”

People across America supported Dr. King’s battle to end racial segregation and Jim Crow laws still existing in some of the Southern states. The boycotts and nonviolent actions won the day, and bus segregation ended. Dr. King enjoyed other victories as well. Google offers us the following timeline of Dr. King’s commitments to change.

Key Moments in the Civil Rights Movement

“1) Montgomery Bus Boycott (1955-1956): Following Rosa Parks’ arrest, King led this successful boycott, ending segregation on Montgomery buses.

2) Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC): He co-founded and led the SCLC, organizing voter registration drives and protests.

3) Birmingham Campaign (1963): Nonviolent protests against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, drew national attention.

4) March on Washington (1963): He delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, calling for racial justice and equality.

5) Selma to Montgomery Marches (1965): Key to securing voting rights for African Americans.” 

I Have a Dream

Excerpts from the “I Have a Dream” message are available at this LINK. We would like to share some of these words from Dr. King:

“We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities.

“We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro’s basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one.

 “We can never be satisfied as long as our children are stripped of their adulthood and robbed of their dignity by signs stating “For Whites Only.”

“We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and the Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote.

“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream… I say to you today, my friends, though, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up, live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’”

The Assassination

Dr. King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee, while supporting sanitation workers. Many of us have seen the images of that vile act. In addition to the claims made that the murder was committed by James Earl Ray, there is a great deal of speculation about other possibilities. What is the who and why of the murder of Dr. King? In 1999, the King family filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit in Tennessee wherein the jury unanimously concluded that Dr. King was the victim of a conspiracy including government agencies as a part of a wider scheme. Some say it was done due to his opposition to the war in Vietnam. Others say it was a reaction to the popularity of his “Poor People’s Campaign.” We may never know the whole truth of the who, why and how. But we do know that he was very much aware of the threat to his life.

Dr. King spoke about the threat to his life in his “I Have a Dream” message. He said, “Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land! And so I’m happy, tonight; I’m not worried about anything; I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!”

Dr. King was 39 years old when his life was ended on April 4, 1968. He was a true hero, and we thank him for his righteous battle against racism and segregation.

At AMS Fulfillment

Dr. King’s life’s work ended segregation and greatly advanced racial equality. His legacy inspires all who believe in justice. At AMS we have enjoyed a diverse workforce for many years. We have been and are committed to doing business with integrity, and we have no tolerance for racism in any of our facilities. We are very grateful for the cultural changes experienced in the US due to the work of Dr. King, and we honor him.

We’ll conclude with a quote from the King Center website [LINK]. “During the less than 13 years of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s leadership of the modern American Civil Rights Movement, from December 1955 until April 4, 1968, African Americans achieved more genuine progress toward racial equality in America than the previous 350 years had produced. Dr. King is widely regarded as America’s pre-eminent advocate of nonviolence and one of the greatest nonviolent leaders in world history.”

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If you are a business looking for product fulfillment, please feel free to contact us at amsfulfillment.com. We are true partners to our clients, and we focus upon client success.

We often refer to AMS Fulfillment as a top-notch, full-service fulfillment company. We all know what top-notch means… among the best… but what does full-service mean? Does it mean that we handle every fulfillment need that a client may have, including such details as gift wrapping and engraving? The answer is Yes – AMS is truly full-service.

We handle the core logistics operation services for brands… functions such as order fulfillment, receiving, warehousing and storage, with an inventory management system that tracks every SKU as well as a proprietary warehouse management system developed by our in-house IT experts to manage the flow of goods from production to the end customer.

We do pick, pack and ship, and its worthy of mentioning that we have very good relationships with the carriers. AMS has the expertise to meet the challenges associated with global eCommerce shipping as well as B2B shipping and we are expert at negotiating carrier discounts, minimizing the shipping costs for our clients, allowing the core company to focus on its main business while ensuring efficient, scalable supply chain management.

Value-Add Services

But of course, full-service means there is more. What if the client needs several different items picked out of their inventory and shipped together – yes we do that. And if the client needs their product assembled, we do that too. Custom packaging, kitting, and integrating marketing inserts – it’s called Kitting and Assembly and it’s just one of our value-add services.

Here is how AMS describes Value-Add Services: “VAS includes special labeling requirements for products such as: product labels, UPC stickers, price stickers, hang-tags, adding or removing hangers, carton compliance labeling (GS1/UCC-128 labels), re-packing or kitting, shrink-wrapping or bagging, gift-wrapping or gift-boxing, branded pack-outs and more…”

Returns Management

AMS has a returns team that handles our clients’ returns. If a product is in good condition when returned, we will place it back into inventory. If it needs to be repaired and then returned to inventory, we’ll handle it. Otherwise, we’ll do as our client wishes – donate or discard and recycle it. We’ll ship the replacement according to our client’s instruction. AMS provides customer service for our clients who need it, whether by phone, email, or chat.

From the AMS website we quote: “Returns are an unfortunate reality for many of our clients. At AMS, we help to streamline this negative work through our dedicated returns management team. We employ a great crew, automated systems, and client-specific processes that help to: 1) Minimize the costs associated with returns handling. 2) Quickly get inventory back onto the shelf as shippable finished goods (for those items that can be refurbished).”

Back-Office Support

AMS works with its clients as a partnership, with our fulfillment service being the operational arm of the client’s business. The AMS Client Services team engages with our clients to understand their needs, their intricacies, and their objectives. AMS describes back-office support as follows:

“At AMS, our definition of Back-office Support as a fulfillment services company is unique in that much of it is client-facing… and it is led by an experienced, proactive, and robust Client Services Team that serves as the conduit to all facets of the business, including information technology (IT), finance and of course warehouse operations! At AMS Fulfillment, we’ve known right from the start that the recipe for long-term and successful “marriages” between us and the brands we serve centers on back-office support and robust client services.”

Omnichannel Fulfillment

There is another aspect of full-service that AMS offers, and that is omnichannel fulfillment. What exactly is omnichannel fulfillment? It is when a business chooses to market and sell their products through multiple sales channels. The inventory is centralized, and the fulfillment service accommodates all of the channels, including wholesale/B2B, eCommerce, brick and mortar and drop-ship.

And there we have it… an understanding of what the term Full-Service Fulfillment actually means. We have been providing fulfillment services for more than twenty years. During that time, we have grown and expanded into a mid-size fulfillment company with operations on both the East and West coasts.

Key Benefits for Clients

What are the benefits of full-service fulfillment for our clients? The first, of course, is that the client can focus on their core business and concentrate on product development and marketing. Scalability is also a key benefit. Our clients know that AMS can handle fluctuations and growth spurts. There is also the benefit of reduced shipping costs and the speed of delivery. Perhaps the most valuable benefit is the expertise that comes from AMS’ years of fulfillment experience and technology.

If you are looking for product fulfillment, please feel free to contact us at amsfulfillment.com. We are true partners to our clients, and we focus upon their success. 2025 was a very good year for our valued clients, and we plan to continue being a top-notch full-service fulfillment service for all of those we serve.

It’s 2026! In the new year there are many things possible that we can’t predict – weather, politics, supply chain issues, floods or fires… all kinds of unknowns. But there are things we do have control over, and we can make commitments – yes, we will do the things we commit to do. AMS Fulfillment is a business with integrity, and we plan to stay that way. We are guided by values-based leadership and B Corporation standards. To use business as a force for good… that is our commitment to the new year.

Values-Based Leadership

First, we will look into values-based leadership. What exactly is it… what are the values upon which our AMS leaders base their decisions? Our Google search gave us a good definition:

“Values-based leadership is an approach where leaders use core ethical principles, integrity, and shared beliefs as the foundation for all decisions, inspiring teams to align actions with a common purpose, fostering loyalty, engagement, and better performance through consistent behavior, clear communication, and accountability. It’s more than just having values; it’s living them daily to build trust and drive organizational success, often blending with styles like servant or authentic leadership.”

Yes, the leaders of AMS Fulfillment believe in serving their valued clients with ethics and transparency as a foundation behind their decision-making.  They also believe in serving clients as their expert Partner in fulfillment operations, with a commitment to helping clients succeed in business through top tier support.  AMS is a full service omni-channel fulfillment company, supporting whatever service needs arise across eCommerce, wholesale and brick-and-mortar selling channels, including returns management, value-add/kitting services, retail routing and much more.  Our clients have reason to be proud of their fulfillment Partner for the pro-active support they receive every day, and we operate in a manner that instills an ethical foundation for all stake-holders, including our clients, our associates, our communities and our environment.

Google gives us a look at how values-based leadership works in practice: “1) Decision-Making: Values provide a framework for tough choices, guiding the “how” of business. 2) Culture Building: Deeply embeds values into the culture, creating a healthy, respectful environment. 3) Motivation & Cohesion: Shared values create unity, boosting employee engagement and productivity. 4) Resilience: Anchors the organization during change, crisis, or controversy.”

AMS Fulfillment has been serving clients for more than twenty years, and our leadership has always guided the organization with integrity. We very much respect our associates who labor in the warehouses. We pay them a living wage, and we provide excellent benefits. We have an excellent safety record due to our training and attention to safety issues. We serve our clients as true partners, communicating closely with them and anticipating their needs. We also seek to have a very good impact on our communities, and we protect the environment in every way we can. Simply said, our values guide our decisions.

AMS is a Benefit Corporation

Once again Google gives us some excellent information on what it means to be a Benefit Corporation:

“B Corp values center on using business as a “force for good,” balancing profit with purpose by considering all stakeholders (workers, community, environment, customers) not just shareholders, and legally committing to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability to build a more inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy.”

AMS completed the B Impact Assessment and became a B Corporation in 2017. We very much enjoy the privilege, as the B Corp standards are ours as well, and have been for many years. Google gives us more on the standards:

“Here are the core values and focus areas: 1) Stakeholder-Centric Approach: Moving beyond shareholder primacy to benefit all people, communities, and the planet, viewing businesses as interconnected. 2) Purpose & Profit Balance: Integrating social/environmental goals with financial success, not seeing them as mutually exclusive. 3) Transparency & Accountability: Committing to public disclosure of practices and legally embedding accountability for impact. 4) Social & Environmental Responsibility: Actively working to reduce inequality, combat climate change, and address societal problems through business practices.”

These standards are our standards, and have been all along the journey, as we grew and expanded. Within the years and the growth, we still held on to our integrity. Being a certified B Corporation makes sense and it gives our clients and our associates something to be proud of. We hope it encourages other businesses to see the value of operating with the aim of being a Benefit to the world.

Success in 2026

We’re looking forward to a new year with gratitude for our dedicated and excellent associates who saw us through a very successful 2025 peak season. We are grateful to see the success of our client partners, as they are the reason for our existence. The gratitude extends to our communities as well, and of course to our beautiful earth. Our commitment is to continue as we have been for many years now, with values-based leadership. We have always been guided by our desire to be a force for good, and we will continue through what lies ahead in 2026. Looking forward to a very successful year for all!

If you are looking for top-notch product fulfillment, please feel free to contact us at amsfulfillment.com. We are true partners to our clients, and we focus upon their success. 2025 was a very good year for our valued clients, and we plan to continue being a top-notch full-service fulfillment service for all of those we serve. Happy New Year!! Let’s make it a great one!!

To all of our associates, clients and friends who celebrate Kwanzaa… we wish you a beautiful holiday. Kwanzaa is taking place now… from December 26^th to January 1, 2026. The commemoration was created by Maulana Karenga in 1966, for the purpose of helping African Americans reconnect with their heritage and bring about unity.

The seven core principles of the holiday are beautiful, in that they uplift the values of building and reinforcing community. These core principles are called Nguzo Saba. Google tells us, “The name Kwanzaa comes from the Swahili phrase “matunda ya kwanza,” meaning “first fruits,” and the holiday is modeled after traditional African harvest celebrations.”

The Seven Principles

We went to the website of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture [LINK] for information on the core principles of Kwanzaa.

During the week of Kwanzaa, families and communities come together to share a feast, to honor the ancestors, affirm the bonds between them, and to celebrate African and African American culture. Each day they light a candle to highlight the principle of that day and to breathe meaning into the principles with various activities, such as reciting the sayings or writings of great black thinkers and writers, reciting original poetry, African drumming, and sharing a meal of African diaspora-inspired foods.

*Umoja (Unity) To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation, and race.

*Kujichagulia (Self-Determination) To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.

*Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) To build and maintain our community together and make our community’s problems our problems and to solve them together.

*Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) To build and maintain our own stores, shops and other businesses and to profit from them together.

*Nia (Purpose) To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore our people to their traditional greatness.

*Kuumba (Creativity) To do always as much as we can to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.

*Imani (Faith) To believe with all our hearts in our people and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

AMS Fulfillment is Grateful!

Each of the seven principles of Kwanzaa serves as a reminder of our company values, which aim to foster cohesive teams, improve operational efficiency, and encourage community engagement across the supply chain.

Our AMS Fulfillment associates have been working long overtime hours to fill orders for the many products of our clients, and we are very grateful for their dedication. We hope the holidays have been truly enjoyable for them, whether they celebrate Hannukah, Christmas or Kwanzaa.

And of course, we are more than grateful for our client partners. The aim and purpose of our associates is to accurately and quickly fill the orders that customers place for the products of our valued client partners. We have almost completed a very busy and very successful holiday season. Our associates have done an excellent job and very soon we will begin a new year! In the meantime, Happy Kwanzaa to all who celebrate, offered with deep respect.

We’re entering a week with profound meaning to millions of people. Our first thought is gratitude for our associates, who have been Santa’s helpers for the past few weeks, and it’s not over yet. Hanukkah has ended, Solstice is taking place and Christmas eve, and Christmas day are coming right up. After that comes Kwanza.

Millions of gifts are bring ordered online and when orders are placed for the products of one of AMS Fulfillment’s clients… we pick, pack and ship it, and we do it quickly and efficiently. That’s what we do! We help Santa!

Our second thought as we enter this week is peace. Peace on Earth. Peace within ourselves, peace in the home, peace in the place of employment, peace in the community and in the country – Peace on Earth. This is the profound prayer offered during this Christmas week, and we join with millions to envision our world at peace.

Some History

We decided to look and see how the traditions we enjoy got their start. We visited the History website [LINK] for some interesting information.

“Christmas, celebrated annually on December 25, is a sacred religious holiday as well as a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. For roughly two millennia, people around the world have been observing it with traditions and practices that are both religious and secular in nature.

“Christians celebrate Christmas Day as the anniversary of the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, a spiritual leader whose teachings form the basis of their religion. Popular customs include exchanging gifts, decorating Christmas trees, attending church, sharing meals with family and friends and, of course, waiting for Santa Claus to arrive. Christmas Day—which falls on Thursday, December 25, 2025—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.”

How Did Christmas Start?

The article went on to talk about how today’s celebrations got their start. One of the focal points, for hundreds of years, was the Winter Solstice. People in the Northern hemisphere have celebrated at this time as they knew its significance to their lives – longer and warmer days will come. The article points to the Norse celebration of Yule, where people feasted for several days starting on the Winter solstice. Some other elements went into the celebration as well:

“The end of December was a perfect time for celebration in most areas of Europe. At that time of year, most cattle were slaughtered so they would not have to be fed during the winter. For many, it was the only time of year when they had a supply of fresh meat. In addition, most wine and beer made during the year were finally fermented and ready for drinking.

“In Germany, people honored the pagan god Odin during the mid-winter holiday. Germans were terrified of Odin, as they believed he made nocturnal flights through the sky to observe his people and then decide who would prosper or perish. Because of his presence, many people chose to stay inside.”

Where did Santa come from?

Speaking of flights through the sky… who invented Santa Claus? We asked Wikipedia [LINK] and saw that there was a 4^th-century Christian bishop called Saint Nicholas, who was the patron saint of children, known for generosity and gift-giving. Here below is a bit of information about how we got the image of the jolly man in a sleigh flying through the air:

“This image originated in the United States during the 19th century, after Dutch settlers brought the legend of Sinterklaas (“Saint Nicholas”) to 17th-century New Amsterdam (present-day New York City). The 1823 American poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”, written by an anonymous author, recounts Saint Nicholas arriving at the author’s home on Christmas Eve in a sleigh pulled by flying reindeer. The poem laid the foundation for modern depictions of Santa Claus, strengthening the association between Santa Claus and Christmas. Over time, this connection has been maintained and reinforced through song, radio, television, children’s books, family Christmas traditions, films, and advertising.”

The End and the Beginning

We’re reaching the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026. AMS Fulfillment has enjoyed an excellent 2025, once again with gratitude for the labor and dedication of our associates. They provide services to our valued clients, and they do so with care and a considerable amount of energy.

At AMS Fulfillment we are grateful for our associates, our clients, our communities and our beautiful world, and we consider all as having a voice in our decisions. Happy Christmas to all of our associates and clients who celebrate the holiday. Happy Christmas to all of the customers who received their orders right on time! We are more than happy to be Santa’s helpers! May there be Peace on Earth!

The month of December is a particularly busy one for AMS fulfillment. We play a significant role in the giving of gifts, and we are very happy to do so. We thank our associates for working long hours of overtime to fulfill a multitude of eCommerce orders for our clients. These orders include Hanukkah gifts, Christmas gifts and Kwanza gifts. During this season of gift-giving, our associates give their time and energy to make the celebrations of all faiths across America rewarding and enjoyable.

Hanukkah is a beautiful celebration taking place in December of this year, from the evening of Sunday the 14^th until Monday the 22^nd. To all of our employees and friends who celebrate these holy days, we wish a wonderful celebration. There is a historical event at the foundation of Hanukkah, and we went to Google for a bit of information about the history:

“Hanukkah, the Festival of Lights, is an eight-day Jewish celebration commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt against Syrian-Greek oppressors in the 2nd century BCE, symbolizing religious freedom and miracles, particularly the miracle of a single day’s worth of oil miraculously burning for eight days. Celebrations involve lighting a special menorah (hanukkiyah) for eight nights, eating oil-fried foods like latkes and sufganiyot, playing the dreidel game, and giving gelt (money/gifts).”

The Meaning of the Story

The Hanukkah celebration is founded upon a historical event which was the reclaiming of the Temple by the Maccabees. At that time, they found enough oil to light the menorah for one day, and miraculously that one day’s worth of oil burned for eight days. This miracle allowed them time to prepare more oil.

The meaning behind this story is a recognition of perseverance and resilience in times of difficulty. It celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, and the miracle of persevering, which means, basically, the positive outcome of ‘keeping on’ in times of difficulty. Hanukkah is a relatively minor holiday in religious terms, but it increases in significance due to its occurrence in the festive season, especially in North America.

Hanukkah is celebrated with a ritual of Menorah lighting. The menorah is a beautiful candle holder with nine candles, four on each side and one in the center. Each night a candle is lit, starting from the right and moving left, adding one candle each night. There are special traditional foods and games, and there is gift giving. Many celebrants participate in gift giving and acts of social justice. The word for it is tikkun olam, meaning ‘repairing the world’.

The Holiday Season

December is very significant in that the Winter Solstice occurs soon. It marks the beginning of Winter in the Northern Hemisphere and also marks the ‘return of the light’, meaning that we will experience the shortest day and longest night of the year between the 20^th and 23^rd of December. After the solstice the days will gradually become longer and continue getting longer until Summer Solstice in June.

Once again, we wish a Happy Hanukkah to our associates and friends who celebrate this beautiful commemoration. December is ‘flying by’ and we hope that it is a rewarding and fulfilling month of celebration for all. We thank our associates and our clients and wish all a wonderful holiday season!

“All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.”

The statement above is Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. December 10^th is Human Rights Day… the anniversary of the United Nations adoption of that inspiring document in 1948. The theme of this year’s celebration is “Our Everyday Essentials.” It is meant to emphasize the basic right of human beings to food, water and shelter.

What does human rights have to do with a fulfillment service? Our answer is… that depends on the values of the fulfillment service. AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, and we do have values. Let’s look at what Google has to say about B Corporations and human rights:

“B Corps must respect fundamental human rights, a requirement recently elevated to a core standard, aligning with the UN Guiding Principles (UNGPs) to ensure dignity, fair wages, safe conditions, and preventing harm in their operations and supply chains, requiring public policies, impact assessments, and remediation plans for any negative impacts. This means B Corps need robust due diligence to identify, prevent, and fix human rights abuses, treating people with dignity and respecting their fundamental rights.”

Our Values 

As we have mentioned in previous blogs, AMS absolutely recognizes the dignity of our associates, and their rights as human beings. We offer fair wages, good benefits, and we have a strong focus on safety in the workplace. Our clients care about the values of the company they partner with for third-party fulfillment, and they know that AMS Fulfillment is a very mindful choice.

“In essence, B Corp certification aims to integrate human rights deeply into business strategy and governance, moving beyond mere compliance to demonstrate a genuine commitment to treating people with dignity and respect.”

The quote above does describe the values of AMS’ leadership – we are committed to our associates as stakeholders in our business. We also are committed to our clients as stakeholders and partners. We communicate with them, and we diligently serve their fulfillment needs. The third stakeholder in our decisions is the communities in which we operate, and the fourth stakeholder is the environment. To make sure we live up to the highest environmental standards, we utilize Sedex for third-party validation [LINK]. The mission of Sedex is as follows:

“To supply data-led insights, accessible tools and exceptional services for more sustainable supply chains. Our solutions enable companies to continuously improve environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and outcomes, and meet their supply chain sustainability goals.”

Where It Began

It is enjoyable to talk about how a declaration protecting the rights of all human beings came to be. Turns out we have a woman to thank for this protective spirit. Eleanor Roosevelt had an important role in creating law with regard to the rights of human beings. Here’s what Google says about it:

“Eleanor Roosevelt’s contribution to human rights is considered her greatest achievement, primarily through her instrumental role in the creation and adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Appointed as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations in 1946 by President Harry S. Truman, she became the first chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights. 

“Roosevelt successfully pushed for the inclusion of not only civil and political rights (like freedom of speech and religion) but also economic and social rights (such as the right to education, shelter, and medical care).”

During this month of December, wherein we focus on the human spirit and gratitude for the wellbeing of family, friends and others, let’s be grateful as well for human rights. We encourage our readers to read the full Declaration at this [LINK] and if life and responsibilities allow, volunteer in the community with organizations that provide food, housing and other necessities.

New Standards

Let’s learn a bit more about human rights in a business environment. At the B Corporation resource library, the following information is available about the UN guiding principles on business and human rights [LINK].

B Corp certification now includes mandatory and explicit human rights standards that require companies to perform due diligence, prevent harm, and report their progress. This marks a significant shift from the previous standards where human rights were often embedded implicitly. 

The New Human Rights B Corp Standards

In April 2025, B Lab released a significant update to its certification standards, elevating human rights to one of seven mandatory impact topics for all certified B Corps. This new approach aligns the B Corp movement with the globally recognized UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

The new standards include key requirements such as publishing a human rights policy, identifying and assessing potential negative human rights impacts, documenting processes for managing impacts, providing channels for concerns, and a commitment to remediation. Companies must also report on the outcomes of their human rights impact assessments and engage with suppliers on human rights objectives. Larger companies have more stringent requirements. 

Examples of Leading Human Rights B Corps

Several B Corps are recognized for their leadership in human rights:

Tony’s Chocolonely: This company is dedicated to eliminating modern slavery and child labor in the cocoa industry and advocates for due diligence.

L’OCCITANE Group: This global business incorporates human rights due diligence throughout its value chain.

 Ben & Jerry’s: This company focuses on its social mission with human rights and dignity as core values. 

By integrating human rights into the certification, B Lab aims for B Corps to move beyond simply avoiding harm and actively contribute to a more just global economy.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

Yes… it’s just a little bit hard to believe! Seems like October just happened!! Where did November go?? Now December is here – beautiful December. Here come our three beautiful holidays – Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanza! Solstice is coming too – that moment wherein the sun returns! This is the beautiful season of giving and showing love.

For AMS, December is the peak of the peak season. So much of this season of giving depends on the labor of our associates, picking, packing and shipping the gifts… gifts created and sold by our clients. We truly are grateful for our workforce – strong, dedicated and highly valuable, and we are grateful for our role in the supply chain – here to help Santa get his deliveries done!

The Spirit of the Season

The Human Spirit is the reason for the season! The holidays we celebrate – Christmas, Hannukah and Kwanza, take us to family, love and gratitude, with gift-giving being an important part of the way we show love. As we prepare for these holidays, there is one more special day in December we would like to include – Bhodi Day. Here’s what Google tells us about the holiday:

“Bodhi Day is a Buddhist holiday that commemorates the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama (the historical Buddha) under the Bodhi tree. The word “bodhi” means enlightenment or awakening, and the holiday is celebrated on either December 8th or on a date determined by the lunar calendar. Observances often include meditation, decorating a tree, reading scriptures, and sharing a special meal, symbolizing hope and the potential to overcome suffering.”

Bodhi Day is celebrated in China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, the Philippines and of course in the US and in every location where Buddhists celebrate the enlightenment of Siddhartha Gautama. On the day of December 8th, Buddhists will meditate, study the universal truth or law (dharma) and chant sutras, which are Buddhist texts.

One of the teachings associated with Bodhi Day is the importance of performing acts of kindness toward other beings. This thought brings us back to our valued associates.

The Month of Celebration

During this incredibly busy month, our thoughts and gratitude go to the AMS associates, handling so much of the labor needed to pick, pack and ship the precious gifts that people send, along with their love. We are proud to have such a dedicated workforce. We are proud to pay a fair wage and offer benefits. AMS is a business with integrity, and respect for every human being, most certainly including our valued associates who play a big role in the success of AMS Fulfillment.

There is a tradition at AMS of acknowledging the associates and bringing a smile. For more than a few years AMS’ founder, Jay Catlin, has been making a peak season visit to the warehouses just to say thank you, and he has been bringing a very special pooch with him – AMS’ own Stella! Every year the AMS mascot, Stella the huggable pooch, makes a visit to say Thank You for working long hours in the service of our clients.

AMS is not only a top notch, bi-coastal, mid-sized, full-service fulfillment company, we are also a B-Corporation. What that means is that we place purpose before profit. We consider our associates to be stakeholders in our business. We also consider our valued clients to be stakeholders and the communities in which we exist. Finally… we are committed to protect the environment in every way we can.

Holiday Wishes

Let’s go through our December dates of celebration! The holiday season begins with Bodhi Day on December 8^th. Following that, Hanukkah in 2025 will begin at sundown on Sunday, December 14th and end at nightfall on Monday, December 22nd. As we all know, Christmas is celebrated on December 24^th and 25^th. Kwanzaa begins on Friday December 26 and continues through January 1, 2026.

At this beautiful time of year, wherein we put our focus on giving to those we love, we will make a holiday wish: May we reach a time in this world wherein no business puts financial profit before its own humanity. AMS Fulfillment puts purpose before profits… we always have, and we always will. Thank You to our valued associates for putting in the overtime hours. We wish you a wonderful holiday season.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

Thanksgiving is a holiday with a history and a backstory worthy of retelling. For many of us, the holiday leads to thoughts of our beloved family. We think of our loved ones with gratitude for their health and wellbeing. We also pause in gratitude for the employment that allows us to pay for the food on our Thanksgiving table.

Gratitude is the reason for the season. At AMS we are grateful – truly grateful for our valued clients, our dedicated and hard-working associates – our communities and life itself – yes, we’re grateful for the life of our Mother Earth.

Gratitude

Thanksgiving week kicks off the peak holiday shopping season (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), creating a massive surge in retail logistics. At AMS Fulfillment we provide the necessary scalability, including extra staff and extended hours, to handle the heightened volume of e-commerce orders, picking, packing, and shipping efficiently.

We’re grateful for the supply chain experts and truck drivers who spend time away from their families to ensure others can have their holiday meals.

We’re grateful for the often-unseen hard work and sacrifice of warehouse staff, drivers, and logistics professionals who work long hours away from their families to ensure others can enjoy their celebrations. Thank You to our AMS associates! You make it happen!!

The Backstory

When doing research into Thanksgiving origins, we ran across some very interesting history. The backstory, searching for the ‘why’ of it, is inspiring. We found the following many-layered story at the Town and Country website [LINK].

“A woman named Sarah Josepha Hale lobbied Congress for years to make Thanksgiving an official holiday. If it wasn’t for this determined woman, Thanksgiving wouldn’t exist today. Hale’s allegiance to Thanksgiving began in 1827 and was based in national pride; she hoped to make it “permanently, an American custom and institution.” It wasn’t until 1863 that President Lincoln finally declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. Seeing as the President did this in throws of the Civil War, Thanksgiving is considered by some to be an attempt on behalf of the president to bring some peace back to the country.”

The Civil War did end in 1865, and it is quite possible that President Lincoln was attempting to put a desire for peace into the cultural picture. That’s a comforting thought upon which to stand, as we tell the story – a holiday founded upon a desire for peace answers the why question. The article continues:

“There isn’t clear historical information on the actual date of the first Thanksgiving, but some historians have suggested it may have taken place in mid-October. President Lincoln assigned the holiday to fall on the last Thursday in November, possibly to coincide with the date the Pilgrims first landed the Mayflower in New England.”

A change in the day for the holiday was made by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1939. He moved the date to one week earlier, and the belief is that he wanted to extend the holiday season in order to alleviate the effects of the Great Depression. Apparently, some states didn’t want to move the date, so in 1941 he signed a bill making the official date of Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November. That’s where it remains today.

The Holiday Season

As we all know, Thanksgiving is day#1 of the ‘season of giving’ due to its proximity to Christmas and Hannukah. For many the party begins with the New York City Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. The first parade was in 1924, and it featured animals from the Central Park Zoo, and of course… Santa Claus. Over the years the parade grew, and every year it reflected the culture in a celebratory manner. Here’s what Google says about the upcoming 2025 parade.

“The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025 will take place on Thursday, November 27, 2025, starting at 8:30 a.m. ET. The 99th annual parade will feature new balloons like Buzz Lightyear, Mario, and PAC-MAN, new floats, and performances from artists including Cynthia Erivo, and the cast of K-Pop Demon Hunters. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock, hosted by Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker.”  

For many of us, watching the parade is a part of the celebration. The description sounds like it’s going to be fun!

The Leftovers

We’ll conclude with the story of a genius idea about leftovers. If we’ve ever wondered where the idea of frozen dinner comes from, listen up! The article tells us the story… apparently Thanksgiving gave us the TV dinner!!

“In 1953, food corporation Swanson overestimated how much turkey would be consumed on Thanksgiving and had to get creative with 260 tons of leftover poultry. Using 5,000 aluminum trays and an assembly line of hand-packers, they created a Thanksgiving-inspired meal with the aforementioned turkey, cornbread dressing, gravy, peas, and sweet potatoes. The dish was sold for a grand total of 98 cents, and in the first full year of production, they sold ten million of them, birthing the prepackaged frozen meal industry.”

Gratitude is our Attitude

Thank you again to our highly valued associates, helping to make this gift-giving season joyous for so many people. Order fulfillment is what we do, and it brings happiness with it for the customers of our clients. Our AMS associates and others like them are the ones that serve us all during the ‘season of giving’. We’re offering a big Thank You to our associates for their commitment and hard work, and we wish all of our readers a wonderful Thanksgiving.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

It’s not coming up soon… it’s here… a very busy time for AMS Fulfillment. We’re not only ready for it… we’re living it! “Black Friday” is the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 28^th. We’re going to see some super good sales online, on that day! But the truth is, we’re already living the ‘day’. Lots of good deals are being offered between now and the 28^th under the name of early Black Friday sales.

This event is good for consumers and good for businesses, and we wonder… where did Black Friday begin? Who thought it up? Interestingly, looking at the story of Black Friday we see that it has evolved quite a lot over time. We’ll begin with Google’s outline of the story:

The Origin and Outcome

“Black Friday started with Philadelphia police in the 1950s and 60s who used the term to describe the chaotic and overwhelming traffic and crowds the day after Thanksgiving, which was often a day off for them. Retailers initially disliked the negative connotation, but by the 1980s, they began to promote a new, positive meaning: the day when their businesses’ books went from “in the red” to “in the black” (profitable) due to holiday sales.” 

OK, that’s a very good origin story. We can see how it happened. Apparently, the Friday after Thanksgiving was the Army-Navy football game in Philadelphia and the city was full to overflowing with tourists and shoppers. It was law enforcement that came up with the term “Black Friday” because of the strain on them. Here is more of what Google tells us:

“Retailers initially tried to rebrand the day as “Big Friday,” but the name didn’t stick. By the 1980s, a new, more positive interpretation emerged, with retailers linking the name to the idea of their businesses finally becoming profitable for the year. This new meaning, derived from the business term “in the black” to describe a profit, became the dominant narrative and is the reason the term is associated with a day of high consumer spending today.”

There we have it! How to turn a challenge into a positive outcome! The increase in commerce led to companies being able to get ‘in the black’ and remain in business. And of course, the low prices were very much welcomed by consumers.

The Story Evolves

Now that we know how “Black Friday” got its beginning, let’s look at what the shopping event has evolved into. As consumers we know that Black Friday deals are already available and it’s definitely not yet Friday, November 28^th. These deals help us to prepare for some nice gift-giving during the upcoming holidays. It also means lots of activity across the supply chain. A mid-sized full-service fulfillment service like AMS Fulfillment plays a big role in the degree of customer satisfaction and business success. Let’s see what Google says about the evolution of this shopping event:

“Black Friday has evolved from a specific in-store sales day in the US to a multi-day, global, and predominantly online shopping event driven by e-commerce. It began in the mid-20th century but became a major retail term in the 1990s, leading to earlier store hours and aggressive in-person deals. The rise of the internet gave birth to “Cyber Monday,” which has since blurred with Black Friday into extended “Black Friday Weeks” or even month-long sales, with a greater shift to online shopping and a decline in the chaos of traditional in-store events.”  

Peak Season is Here

Peak season has begun for the 2025 holidays. Our highly valued AMS clients are running their “Cyber Monday” and “Black Friday” deals and we are giving their customers the excellent service they have come to expect. Let’s conclude with a quote from Jeff Bruce, AMS’ VP of Human Resources.

“AMS is ready no matter what day it is to deliver for our customers thanks to our amazing associates who will work what seems ‘around the clock’ to bring our top notch results no matter the challenges faced. We can’t thank our teams enough for their efforts during this peak season.”

Yes, indeed. Thank You to our Teams for the beginning of a very exciting and successful Peak Season for AMS and our valued clients!! And one more note for our readers… have fun shopping!!!

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.

We’ve reached the time where Thanksgiving plans are being made… plans for families to come together and enjoy an abundant meal. Family, home, abundance of food… it is truly one of the most enjoyable holidays of the season. We’re very much looking forward to it.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving gratitude, we are joining in another recognition… one wherein we remember all of those for whom Thanksgiving is not on the schedule.

The week of November 16 through 22 is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. This is a commemoration where we draw attention to those who are suffering hunger and homelessness, and we join with those who are helping to relieve some of the suffering. Through our advocacy and contributions, we will hopefully make life a little more livable for those who are hungry and homeless.

Some Relevant Facts

From a website called National Homeless [LINK] we read the following about the commemoration:

“Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week is an annual program (held the week before Thanksgiving in November) where people come together across the country to draw attention to the problems of hunger and homelessness. Participating groups spend the week holding a series of educational, service, fundraising, and advocacy events.”

We were able to find some facts that really impact our concern. From hhweek.org we read:

“Many Americans are living on the edge, forced to choose between basic necessities like purchasing food, paying rent, or going to the doctor.”

37.2 million Americans live below the poverty level

580,000 Americans are homeless on a typical night

44 million Americans are at risk of suffering from hunger

1 in 6 children in the U.S. live in poverty

Imagine it… 580,000 homeless human beings in the U.S. and 44 million at risk of suffering from hunger! Let’s take a look at the situation worldwide.

“While there has been slow but steady progress over the past thirty years, there are still a tremendous number of people around the world who live in extreme poverty.”

795 million people do not have enough to eat

767 million people live on $1.90 a day or less

6 children die each minute of a hunger-related disease

65.3 million refugees have been driven out of their homes

Imagine it… six children will die each minute due to a hunger-related disease. This is almost unthinkable and yet it is said to be true.

How to Help

The sponsors of this week-long commemoration are the National Coalition for the Homeless [LINK] and Students Against Hunger and Homelessness [LINK]. We encourage a visit to their websites in order to glean information on what they recommend in answer to the question of how to help. There is also a very comprehensive list of organizations that provide food and support for the homeless at the America’s Charities website [LINK].

We appreciate all members of our corporate family who help those in need wherever and whenever they can, and we know that many of us do donate and volunteer locally. As readers likely know, AMS Fulfillment is a B Corporation, and part of our commitment to ‘Be the Change’ is to consider the communities in which we exist to be stakeholders in our business. Every year, in this season of giving, we support charitable organizations within our communities, and we are happy to be able to do so.

AMS Fulfillment, in cooperation with our clients, contributes inventory regularly to Bridge to Home and to Single Mothers Outreach in Santa Clarita, CA. Bridge to Home provides shelter, support services, permanent affordable housing, and they advocate for sustainable solutions for our neighbors in need. Single Mothers Outreach is dedicated to supporting families experiencing sudden housing instability, income loss, emotional trauma and social deterioration.

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Please feel free to visit amsfulfillment.com and learn more about us. We’ve been doing eCommerce fulfillment for more than twenty years and we are a highly respected third-party fulfillment service (3PL) with many satisfied and successful clients.