Bedgear’s founder and CEO Eugene Alletto was named the 2025 Honoree at the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge Bash Gala held May 15 at the Rainbow Room in New York City.
Leading up to and at the event, Bedgear assisted the American Cancer Society in raising funds to support the Hope Lodge Jerome L. Greene Family Center. Hope Lodge communities provide a free place to stay during treatment for people facing cancer and their caregivers, so patients can focus on getting better. In total, the efforts led to nearly $500,000 raised for the facility.
“Being named the 2025 Honoree at the Hope Lodge Bash Gala is a profound honor not only for myself but for Bedgear as a whole,” Alletto says. “It’s a meaningful reminder of why we do what we do. At Bedgear, comfort has always been about more than products — it’s about people. To be recognized by an organization like the American Cancer Society reinforces that we’re living our values in a way that matters.”
The American Cancer Society’s premier fundraising event in New York City, the Hope Lodge Bash Gala raises funds for the annual operating costs of the Hope Lodge Jerome L. Greene Family Center. The gala attracted over 250 area business leaders, philanthropists and ACS supporters and featured a cocktail reception, seated dinner, a program with a live and silent auction, and a mission moment to directly support the Hope Lodge NYC.
“Eugene’s innovative spirit at Bedgear is matched by his heartfelt dedication to giving back,” says Chloe Lipman, vice president of development at the American Cancer Society. “His support for the American Cancer Society and Hope Lodge exemplifies true leadership that inspires hope and comfort. We were proud to honor him at the Hope Lodge Bash Gala.”
Bedgear has been a longtime supporter of the American Cancer Society and has donated products to Hope Lodges across the country and to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walks for years. Additionally, the company has made monetary donations through its cause marketing campaigns online and in retail stores.
Every October, Bedgear donates 5% of all pillow sales on bedgear.com to the American Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Research Fund and one Seatbelt Pillow to the ACS for every pillow fitting completed in retail stores.
Bedgear’s Seatbelt Pillow has played a major role in the company’s relationship with the American Cancer Society. A comfort companion crafted for long journeys, the Seatbelt Pillow was designed to protect sensitive areas during treatment. In addition to the ongoing donation of these pillows to the ACS, the company also donates 5% of each Seatbelt Pillow sold online year-round.
“We donate our Seatbelt Pillows to the American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodges to help patients travel more comfortably to and from treatment,” Alletto says. “In one instance, a patient involved in a car accident shared how the Seatbelt Pillow helped shield their port during the impact — a moment that reinforced the importance of what we do.
“Our partnership with the American Cancer Society felt like a natural fit from the start,” he adds. “Once we saw firsthand how they provide a sense of home, community and comfort during such a challenging time, we knew this was an extension of our mission. Hope Lodge is proof that healing isn’t just medical — it’s emotional and social, too. We’re honored to contribute even a small part to that experience. At Bedgear, we’re in the business of comfort — and this is comfort with purpose.”
Beyond his work with ACS, Alletto also founded the Bedgear Foundation in 2017 to create meaningful change through philanthropy. The foundation has touched countless lives around the world, supporting organizations that provide comfort to those in need including foster children, individuals facing homelessness and those affected by natural disasters.
“Giving back isn’t a side project,” he says. “It’s an important part of what it means to support the communities in which you serve. If someone has to ask you to get involved, it’s already too late. Every business and every person should be committed to giving more than they receive.”
