As part of National Association of Tobacco Outlet’s 12th Anniversary and Trade Show in Las Vegas, the organization will launch the first Meetings with a Mission (MWM) event.

The MWM event is a community engagement initiative for attendees to serve at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission April 22, the first day of the show, which runs through April 24.

NATO Show attendees registered for the NATO MWM event will serve for a half-day at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission in the areas of preparing and serving meals, assembling hygiene kits and performing light property maintenance. 

On the NATO MWM Web site, those who are unable to attend have the ability to opt to donate toiletries for the hygiene kits or make a monetary donation to the Rescue Mission.

"The NATO Meetings with a Mission event is an effort to create an environment of connections--NATO with the city of Las Vegas, NATO attendees with their peers and ultimately, attendees with those in need in the community," said NATO president Andy Kerstein.

He added, "Beyond a standard fundraising event, NATO's Meetings with a Mission allows for hands-on interactions to make a positive impact in the host-community of Las Vegas. It also fosters a spirit of giving back that our attendees can take back with them to their respective businesses and communities."

The Las Vegas Rescue Mission, provides redemption, recovery and re-entry to the homeless, addicted and those in need through direct services of food, shelter, clothing and restorative programs.

The Rescue Mission is working to serve the metro area of Las Vegas that is ranked with the fourth highest rate of homelessness in the nation.

Robert Brunner, executive director for the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, said it is partnerships, such as this with NATO, which the Rescue Mission truly values.

"A true mutually beneficial relationship is fostered when both sides of the serving are engaged,” Brunner said. “Here at the Rescue Mission, we seek to not only make an impact in the thousands of lives we are serving daily, but we hope to make an impact on those who come to serve with us.”

NATO board member Andrea Myers added, "We are thrilled to launch this brand new initiative for NATO and look forward to developing our relationship with the Las Vegas Rescue Mission to grow the MWM program in the years to come. We challenge our retailers, manufacturers and distributors to roll up their sleeves and engage in the community for a more meaningful experience in Las Vegas this year."