Advertisement

Charity Works: Adidas, Reebok, Lacoste + More Step Up to Aid the Coronavirus Fight

Click here to read the full article.

April 20, 2020: Sprayground is pitching in amid the coronavirus fight. The streetwear label is donating 20,000 surgical masks to hospitals as well as to those on the front lines of the crisis in New York.

April 20, 2020: Supermodel Karolina Kurkova has joined forces with children’s brand Billie Blooms to provide protective face masks to frontline workers. The initiative, dubbed Masks for All, is producing about 5,000 masks a day, according to FN’s sister publication WWD. Each purchase of a mask — which is available in toddler’s, kid’s and adult sizes — will lead to a donation of one mask to nonprofit network Feeding America. (Kurkova has previously worked with the organization’s food banks in New York City and Miami.)

ADVERTISEMENT

More from Footwear News

April 18, 2020: Adidas and Reebok are aiming to raise even more funds for the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund. The brands are adding an automatic $2 donation to purchases made on the Adidas app as well as purchases made at Adidas.com and Reebok.com. This additional initiative follows Adidas’ product of face shields for American healthcare professionals in collaboration with software company Carbon. It also comes after the brands donated 3 million euros ($3.26 million) directly to the WHO.

April 17, 2020: Lacoste has announced that it has produced 100,000 protective masks in France in just a few weeks. The brand has committed to increasing production to 200,000 masks in the near future. Its factory in Argentina and its Turkish partner, EREN Holding, have also adapted their facilities to manufacture medical masks and gowns. Lacoste will continue its efforts to produce masks for as long as necessary and two production lines in its historic factory in Troyes (France) will be dedicated to the task.

April 17, 2020: Direct-to-consumer women’s footwear brand Ally Shoes, is doing its part to support restaurant workers. The company was born at a Il Posoto, a small, family-owned Italian restaurant in New York, where its founder held its early meetings, sharing designs and good food. As the eatery struggles to keep its doors open and pay staff during the shutdown, during April the company is sending consumers who buy a pair of shoes online, a $25 gift card to be spent at the restaurant. Since everyone may not be able to visit the eatery in person, they can gift the card to a friend, or instead, Ally will donate the $25 on their behalf to the restaurant.

April 17, 2020: Champs Sports and Eastbay launched “#NeverNotAnAthlete” today, an initiative designed to encourage consumers to share the support of coronavirus relief causes on social media for a chance to earn gear for their high schools. The two athletic retailers will donate $1 for every post from public accounts that includes the hashtags #ChampsXEastbay and #NeverNotAnAthlete up to $25,000 to Athletes for Relief, which raises money for the Center for Disaster Philanthropy COVID-19 Response Fund. Also, the two retailers are giving high schools the opportunity to win up to $10,000 in credit to buy gear for their student-athletes from the Eastbay Team Sales Store by including a third hashtag: their high school name followed by their mascot. The five schools with the most posts will win the store credit.

April 17, 2020: Stride Rite is pitching in during the coronavirus pandemic by supporting the families of children with cancer, who are immunocompromised and at greatest risk from the virus. The brand will donate all proceeds from the sale of its cozy kids’ slippers to the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation COVID-19 Emergency Fund, aimed at helping kids continue their cancer treatments. Stride Rite’s plush slippers are currently available online for $14.95.

April 17, 2020: Following an announcement from the CDC that the COVID-19 virus could be carried on shoes, Utah-based footwear brand Kizik has said it will immediately donate 1,000 pairs of its hands-free shoes to health care workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Health care employees can request their free pair of shoes on the brand’s website here.

April 17, 2020: Kurt Geiger has created a tote bag with the aim to raise around $1.25 million for the British National Health Service. The canvas tote features graphics by artist Anthony Burrill. The brand is encouraging all those who purchase it to help spread the word through social media using the hashtag #WEAREONE. The bag is made from fairtrade organic cotton and is being printed in the U.K. It is available to buy exclusively at Kurtgeiger.com with 100% of profits from every sale going to Britain’s National Health Service. The bag costs $25 (including delivery), and $12.50 per bag will be donated to the NHS. “The NHS workers have been working flat-out since the outbreak of this awful virus, putting their lives at risk every day for the benefit of us all. I am immensely proud and grateful to live in a country with such wonderful health care for us all,” said CEO Neil Clifford. “Our goal is to raise $1.25 million through the sale of these bags by the end of 2020. This means selling 100,000 bags, and with your help, we can do it.”

April 17, 2020: Ancient Greek Sandals, co-founded by Nikolas Minoglou and Christina Martini, have announced their support of Greek charity Desmos, starting April 27. The brand was born from a love of Greece’s rich heritage, so is donating 10% of sales revenue to the non-profit organization — which coincidentally also bears the same name as one of Ancient Greek Sandals’ most popular styles. The partnership will help to raise money for medical equipment, supplies and consumables to address the COVID-19 pandemic.

April 17, 2020: Mary Katrantzou is donating 15% of her sales to charity. Of this, 7.5% will go to Age UK and 7.5% to Action for Children. The designer chose these particular charities, she said, to support the young and the elderly since they are the most vulnerable at this time.

April 17, 2020: Fashion and fragrance retailer House of Bijan is partnering with a local Los Angeles-based medical face-shield supplier to produce face protectors for hardworking healthcare professionals on the frontlines. Together with AcuShield, the retailer plans to help produce 10,000 protectors that provide complete coverage for all sides of the face, preventing all contact with eyes, mouth and nose. “We at the House of Bijan feel it is our duty to help however possible during this difficult and challenging time,” said Nicholas Bijan, vice chairman of the brand. “With the donation of this vital PPE we not only help our brave and selfless first responders but we also create safe jobs in our local community.”

April 16, 2020: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian and shoe brand Atoms are pitching in with the coronavirus fight. Atoms is converting its shoe production capacity in South Korea to make copper-infused masks for everyday wear. The company will donate one mask to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) for every mask sold on its site. Ohanian has personally donated 5,000 masks to the NYCHA, which will be distributed near Atoms’ headquarters at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

April 16, 2020: Reef is encouraging its consumers to help the COVID-19 fight. By purchasing a pair of shoes on Reef.com, 5% of online sales will be donated to the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT Foundation) to support the heroic efforts of EMTs and first responders across the U.S. With 67,000 members and 113,000 students, the NAEMT Foundation provides key benefits to EMTs and paramedics, including career outreach programs, funding scholarships and supporting evidence-based research.

April 16, 2020: In response to the coronavirus crisis, Ugg and Stampd have cancelled their collaboration launch event scheduled for March 14, and instead the two California-based brands will donate the $20,000 deposit for the event to support employees at Malibu Farm, a fresh, farm-to-table food resource. The 45-member Malibu Farm team, including cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers and utility workers, who have lost work because of the closure, will receive aid originally allocated to the event. Additionally, Ugg and parent company Deckers Brands, have launched the Better Together initiative to pledge over $1 million through monetary and product donations to the relief efforts.

April 16, 2020: The Ralph Lauren Corporate Foundation has made a donation to The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust based in the United Kingdom. The contribution will allow it to purchase a special machine that would be able to conduct COVID-19 testing, alleviating any shortages in staff at the cancer facility. Ralph Lauren will also help raise money for the charitable organization, which provides life-saving care for people with cancer, and will donate 50,000 products to NHS members and volunteers across the country’s hospitals.

April 16, 2020: Global workwear brand Dickies, in partnership with parent company, VF Corporation, is further supporting the COVID-19 fight in the U.S. by manufacturing FDA-compliant isolation gowns for hospitals and health-care workers. These garments will be distributed to communities across the country in cooperation with federal and state government leaders. The company expects to produce and deliver 50,000 gowns in May, and it intends to create production capacity to make up to 675,000 gowns by June and up to 3.4 million by September. The isolation gowns will be made with fabric sourced from industry partner Milliken & Company. The gowns follow several other initiatives that both Dickies and VF Corporation have rolled out, including a $1.5 million donation to local communities through The VF Foundation and a donation of Dickies-brand scrubs to impacted U.S. hospitals in partnership with Careismetic Brands, a supplier of scrubs.

April 16, 2020: In honor of Earth Day, ethical sneaker brand Cariuma is planting 10,000 trees as part of its Replant Our Earth initiative. In addition, from April 22 to 26, for any purchase on its website using the code OUREARTH, it will plant another 10 trees in the Brazilian rainforest.

April 16, 202O: Tommy Hilfiger parent PVH Corp. has pledged an additional $1 million for a total commitment of more than $2 million toward coronavirus relief efforts. The donations come via the PVH Foundation, the company’s philanthropic fund dedicated to nonprofit donations and volunteer programs. The money will support front-line medical workers, the fight against food insecurity, supply chain and industry relief and community resiliency. “The COVID-19 pandemic is a human crisis touching everyone around the world in some way. PVH is built on its familylike culture, and the way we live our lives is the same way we conduct business: We try to do the right thing,” said Emanuel Chirico, chairman and CEO. “It’s more important now than at any time I can remember to support our people, communities and industry.”

April 16, 2020: Canadian footwear brand John Fluevog Shoes created an all-new style inspired by British Columbia’s chief provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry. The brand is planning to donate 100% of the proceeds from the presale of the limited edition Dr. Henry pumps to support Food Banks BC. The new style will include Dr. Henry’s own words to “be kind, be calm and be safe” inscribed on the foot sock of the heeled, round-toe style.

April 15, 202O: Outdoor brand Oboz has donated over 200 of its O-FIT insoles to Livingston Healthcare for nurses and first responders, with plans to send replacements and to supply additional hospitals, including Bozeman Health. It has also donated its 3D printer to “Masks for Heroes Montana,” a local Bozeman organization working to supply face masks to the medical and first responder community in the Gallatin Valley. It’s also created a special logo treatment to remind people to practice social distancing.

April 15, 2020: French fashion label Ba&sh is selling a new T-shirt with the slogan “I Will Hug Your Later,” with 100% of proceeds in North America to go toward Baby2Baby to assist with the charity’s coronavirus relief efforts. Additionally, beginning today, Ba&sh will be donating 15% of proceeds from all online sales to Baby2Baby. The “I Will Hug You Later” shirts can be purchased on the brand’s website for $65.

April 15, 2020: Skechers has made a $509,000 donation to the Petco Foundation to provide care and shelter for animals and promote adoptions amid the coronavirus pandemic. Through sales of its Bobs from Skechers collection, the company has contributed more than $5.45 million to animal welfare shelters and agencies.

April 15, 2020: Nomasei is partnering with 1% for the Planet to donate 1% of its annual proceeds to a certified ecological program. The label also has other plans to increase its sustainability, including securing new certifications to show its low-carbon footprint and opening a sustainable production facility in Tuscany, Italy, by the end of the year.

April 14, 2020: Ben Sherman has partnered with textile purveyor Gladson to help support the Costume Designers Guild, Motion Picture Costumers and the IATSE in the production of up to 50,000 face masks, which will be delivered to hospitals in the United States that lack personal protective gear during the pandemic. The brands added that they would continue to provide updates on the rollout of future initiatives related to its fight against the coronavirus.

April 14, 2020, The Ermenegildo Zegna Group has started manufacturing protective medical overalls with the aim of producing 280,000 pieces. Of these, 250,000 pieces will be channeled into Italy’s Piedmont region and the remaining 30,000 units will be sent to the Canton Ticino area in Switzerland. The effort involved a collaboration between the Zegna Group, Fondazione Zegna, the Piedmont region and Canton Ticino. The protective suits are constructed with a nonwoven fabric, produced by Pratrivero SpA in Biella, Italy. “The Zegna Group is incredibly pleased that the Biella textile district and Unione Industriale Biellese responded immediately to our appeal to work together during this difficult period,” the group said in a statement. “Let’s look out for each other. Let’s get through this together,” added CEO Gildo Zegna.

April 14, 2020: Rihanna has donated $2.1 million to the Mayor’s Fund in Los Angeles via her nonprofit Clara Lionel Foundation to assist victims affected by domestic violence during the coronavirus lockdown. The singer and entrepreneur has partnered with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to give a total of $4.2 million to the cause. The sum will help fund 10 weeks of support, including meals, shelter and counseling for families. This follows an announcement in March that the foundation would donate $5 million to fund international COVID-19 initiatives.

April 13, 2020: R0AM is donating 15% of proceeds from April sales to the organization Make More Masks. Founded by Los Angeles-based activist Elizabeth Naftali, Make More Masks provides masks to nonprofit clinics, health-care workers and more to combat the shortage of quality masks caused by the coronavirus pandemic. ROAM slippers and sandals retail on the brand’s site for $117 to $132; styles now on sale go for $56 to $87.

April 13, 2020: Rebecca Minkoff is launching a new way for customers to give back and support the city of New York in style. The brand debuted its New York Stronger Together shirt today with 100% of the profits from the shirt’s sales going towards Mask A Hero, an organization that works to provide health-care workers on the front lines of the current health crisis with proper protective equipment and gear in New York and beyond. The T-shirt sells for $35 and is available at RebeccaMinkoff.com now.

April 10, 2020: Bohemian-inspired fashion label Johnny Was has started making face masks for purchase. As part of a one-for-one initiative, the brand will donate one mask for each one sold. To date, it has already donated over 10,000 masks to hospitals and charities. Starting today, the masks are available on its website. All masks are nonmedical grade and made from 100% repurposed fabrics. They include a pleated silhouette and an interior pocket for an additional filter.

April 10, 2020: Katy Perry’s eponymous brand is giving back to a cause close to the singer’s heart. During April and May, Katy Perry Collections will be donating 10% of the proceeds from its online sales to Baby2Baby, an organization that works to provide diapers, formula and other basic essentials to children in need across the country. The organization has enacted several initiatives in the face of the coronavirus to help families affected by the pandemic and its rippling effects.

April 10, 2020: Quero Shoes is donating 15% of all of its shoe sales to food rescue organization City Harvest to help keep New Yorkers fed during the coronavirus crisis — particularly since many children across the state are losing access to school meals and families are facing financial challenges in affording food. The made-in-Spain footwear brand has also added a portal on its website’s home page for shoppers to contribute directly to the nonprofit.

April 10, 2020: Tory Burch has partnered with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest health-care workers’ union in the nation, to donate approximately 24,000 products to health-care workers. Valued at more than $5 million, these pieces include sneakers, fanny packs and Tory Sport apparel that medical professionals can wear on the job under scrubs or at home to decompress. 1199SEIU represents over 450,000 front-line workers in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida and the District of Columbia. In addition to donating apparel and footwear, Tory Burch is also contributing nearly 3,000 yards of fabric to make face masks and hospital gowns for health-care workers and patients in a joint effort with the Catholic Health Services of Long Island, serving six New York hospitals. The Tory Burch Foundation will also continue to provide loans to female entrepreneurs through its Capital Program, powered by Bank of America, which gives an average of $1 million monthly in affordable loans to women business owners in the United States.

April 9, 2020: Duke + Dexter has shifted its U.K. factory operations from producing footwear to face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The label is making 5,000 face masks each week in Sheffield, England, which will be given free of charge to those most in need. Additionally, Duke + Dexter is encouraging people to stay home and hopes its efforts will also encourage others to become involved in fighting COVID-19.

April 9, 2020: AERA has announced today that it will be donating 20% of all its April sales to the Food Bank of New York City in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With operations spanning multiple continents, the sustainable brand has felt the effects of the health crisis. “As a small, mission-driven startup, AERA has been affected during this pandemic, first in Italy where our artisans and suppliers are based and now here in NY where our company was born,” a press release stated. With a range of luxury styles for men and women, the AERA e-commerce site, which is open for business, is filled with classic and trend-forward styles.

April 9, 2020: Hunter has donated 1,500 pairs of its rain boots to the London Ambulance Service. The British heritage brand is also donating 1,000 vinyl waterproof jackets to hospitals in the United States, its largest market. Additionally, Hunter is offering discounts to medical workers. Intensive care and respiratory unit teams can take 50% off, while all health-care worker organizations across the globe are eligible for 30% off.

April 9, 2020: Ranch Road Boots announced that it will be donating 5% of proceeds from sales of items from its spring collection — being released today — to Doctors Without Borders to assist with the organization’s coronavirus relief efforts.

April 8, 2020: Fashion Nova tapped Cardi B to help them with their new give-back campaign in the face of the coronavirus. The Fashion Nova Cares with Cardi B initiative will donate $1,000 every hour until the total donation reaches $1 million. Together, they are hoping to help out anyone facing issues with rent, unemployment, food, medicine and other essentials during these difficult times. To qualify, you can nominate yourself or others at fashionnova.com/cares. The brand will select 24 people each day for the duration of the program to receive the $1,000 checks.

April 8, 2020: Louis Vuitton announced today that four of its workshops in France have been completely repurposed in order to begin production on nonsurgical masks, thanks to the dedicated work of 300 artisans in these locations. The face masks will be donated to organizations such as nursing homes and care homes. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Michael Burke announced today that he’s committed to creating “many thousands of masks that will be distributed within the region, at no charge, to protect those who are most exposed.”

April 8, 2020: Mayhoola, parent company to luxury fashion houses Balmain, Valentino and Pal Zileri, announced it will donate 1 million euros ($1.09 million) to La Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris – Hôpitaux de France. The donation will help provide some of the most essential supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic, including respirators, blood collection kits, masks and more, specifically at two hospitals in Paris: the Montfermeil and Delafontaine. Additionally, part of the donation will go toward medical workers on the front line and ensure they’re receiving proper physical and mental support to continue fighting the enduring crisis.

April 8, 2020: Alice + Olivia is making it a priority to give back during the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the brand has donated $20,000 to the No Kid Hungry organization as well as supplies to create 50,000 face shields for doctors and nurses at NYU Langone. In addition, Alice + Olivia kicked off the #MaskItForward one-for-one initiative, where customers can purchase protective masks online. For each mask sold, the company will donate one to the medical community.

April 8, 2020: Concepts announced today that it is donating footwear from its inventory to healthcare workers in Boston facilities organizations. The boutique retailer said the donation will be continuous. The list of organizations that will receive shoes from Concepts includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Boston is our home and the people of Boston are our family. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the city and community during these unprecedented times,” Concepts CEO Tarek Hassan said in a statement. Also, the retailer — which has a location in New York City — stated it is partnering with its apparel vendor’s factory to produce Centers of Disease Control and Prevention-approved KN95 masks rather than its private label apparel. These will be distributed to NYC healthcare institutions for workers.

April 8, 2020: Toms has announced it will be donating one-third of net profits to the COVID-19 Global Giving Fund created to support long-time Giving Partners currently on the front lines of the health crisis. Beginning this month, every Toms purchase will directly support Giving Partners that are responding to COVID-19, both in the U.S. and abroad. For every $3, the company will donate $1 to the fund, which currently supports giving partners the brands has worked with for many years. The Toms COVID-19 Global Giving Fund currently supports Americares, Crisis Text Line, International Medical Corps, Partners in Health, and Water Aid.

April 8, 2020: Burton Snowboards is donating 500,000 KN95 masks to health-care workers in the northeastern United States in response to the unprecedented shortage of personal protective equipment. The company has already delivered 48,000 masks to hospitals across the state of Vermont, where it is headquartered, as well as to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. Within the next two weeks, Burton will deliver an additional 452,000 masks to hospitals in two hard-hit cities, Boston and New York. Additionally, Anon, Burton’s helmet and goggle division, is working with GogglesforDoc.com to provide snow goggles to medical professionals who need eye protection; so far, over 1,300 pairs have been donated.

April 8, 2020: Ugg and parent company Deckers Brands are launching their “Better Together” initiative to donate over $1 million to COVID-19 relief efforts. Ugg is specifically committed to donating funds to New York City’s health-care system in addition to joining together to benefit select hotels in the city that are housing medical personnel by providing pieces like comfortable slippers and robes for these health-care professionals serving on the front lines. The brand will also be holding an Instagram giveaway to give back to deserving individuals during the current crisis, giving away 500 pairs per week for a month starting on April 10. In California, where Deckers Brands is headquartered, the company is establishing the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund in partnership with the Santa Barbara Foundation, also calling for other community leaders to contribute to small business and to help provide vital supplies to medical professionals. Lastly, Ugg and Hoka One One will be providing free shoes to 145 workers on the front lines at Santa Barbara-based Sansum Clinic, one of the oldest nonprofit outpatient clinics and health-care providers on the south and central coasts of California.

April 8, 2020: For the month of April, Bernardo 1946 is donating 20% of sales to go towards the Direct Relief organization, which is focused on helping combat the coronavirus by supporting health-care providers with proper PPE. In addition, funds going to Direct Relief will help its collaboration with infectious disease epidemiologists, technology companies and public agencies to use aggregated mobility data to support the COVID-19 response, as well as boosting support to safety-net facilities to address existing chronic gaps that are likely to grow.

April 8, 2020: In partnership with the Italian Red Cross, Salvatore Ferragamo is financing the renovation of two wards in a Florence hospital. The renovated wards can hold 60 patients who are in quarantine or who are recovering from COVID-19. In both wards, 31 people will be employed, including two doctors and 15 nurses. Ferragamo previously created and donated 100,000 face masks to fight the coronavirus threat, and it provided 50,000 hand sanitizers and 3,000 respirator masks to health-care officials in Italy’s Tuscany region.

April 7, 2020: Thursday Boot Company is partnering with one of its Mexican factories to produce HK-19 polypropylene masks for COVID-19 health-care workers. The company plans to donate at least 14,000 masks by April 10 to hospitals, fire departments, homeless shelters and related organizations. In collaboration with Direct Relief, it held its first-ever warehouse sale, donating $15 for every pair of shoes sold. So far, over $100,000 has been raised to support the coronavirus fight.

April 7, 2020: Kering announced today that it is donating $1 million to the CDC Foundation to provide personal protective equipment and other supplies to support the efforts of health-care workers in the Americas. The Gucci and Bottega Veneta parent is also supporting A Common Thread, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund coronavirus relief initiative, as well as Your Friends in New York Want to Help, an organization created by Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. These contributions come in addition to past Kering donations supporting relief efforts in France, Italy and China.

April 7, 2020: York Athletics Mfg. has launched an initiative called #FightFromHome to give back to workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Individuals can go to the brand’s site to send a pair of sneakers to a loved one on the front lines, along with a customized note. In addition, the company has donated 50 pairs of its slip-on sneakers to workers at Boston’s Community Servings.

April 7, 2020: Sanita, which specializes in professional clogs, is standing behind the many hospitality workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. The company is donating a portion of every purchase on sanita.com during April to support medical providers and hospitality workers. The donations will include $10 for every pair of shoes purchased on sanita.com, as well as $5 for every new signup to its email list. These proceeds will be split evenly between #GetUsPPE, which provides personal protective equipment to medical workers, and the James Beard Foundation, which raises funds to support chefs and restaurant owners hit by the coronavirus crisis. “We realized that the majority of Sanita customers, those working in hospitality and those on the medical front lines, were being significantly affected by the current COVID-19 crisis and its economic implications,” said Matt Tracy, president of Sanita USA/M Leonard Int’l. “We hope to be able to support those who have supported us over the years.”

April 6, 2020: Having just launched in January, online women’s brand Seecaas, is partnering with Feed the Children through the end of May to help children through the COVID-19 crisis. “We know so many children around the world and their families rely on school breakfasts and lunches,” said Ashley Hensley, company founder. Hensley has committed 100% of its profits from its navy Ella flat and Hope bracelets, as well as a percentage from all other sales. In addition, the company will continue to support the Seecaas Hope for Adoption Foundation that provides grants to people who choose to grow their families through adoption.

April 6, 2020: Havaianas and parent company Alpargatas are pitching in to help during the coronavirus pandemic. Alpargatas is donating 100,000 kits with Havaianas that will include hygiene products and food for vulnerable communities in Brazil. At the community level, Alpargatas has pledged hand sanitizer and supplies and equipment for the production of COVID-19 test kits, along with 100,00 pairs of Havaianas flip-flops and sneakers. Additionally, Alpargatas is donating 52,000 pairs of shoes to aid hospital workers in Brazil, along with 250,000 N95 face masks and 100,000 feet of fabric to produce personal protective equipment. The company is also donating sound system equipment to the Favela Connection radio station in Rio de Janeiro to produce and announce official content on how to prevent the spread of the virus.

April 6, 2020: The North Face announced today that it is committing $1 million through its Explore Fund to support outdoor communities worldwide, specifically to areas that are in greatest need to recover from the effects of the coronavirus crisis. The company also stated it has committed to donating 60,000 gloves to health-care professionals and first responders in Colorado, where TNF is based. In addition to the charitable contributions, the brand said that its stores in North America will remain closed with a tentative reopening date of May 4.

April 6, 2020: Brothers Diego and Andrea Della Valle, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of Tod’s Group are donating 5 million euros ($5.4 million) to family members of health personnel who have died fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The donation was made on behalf of all Tod’s Group employees, which includes the Tod’s, Roger Vivier, Hogan and Fay brands. The fund, called Sempre con Voi (Always With You) will be entrusted to Italy’s Civil Protection Department.

April 6, 2020: The Tiffany & Co. Foundation is donating $1 million to COVID-19 causes, which includes allocating $750,000 to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization powered by the UN. The remaining $250,000 is going to the New York Community Trust’s NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund. The New York-based jewelry brand, which was officially acquired by LVMH in February, will also match employee donations dollar-for-dollar to any qualified nonprofit organization supporting the relief efforts.

April 6, 2020: The VF Foundation has announced an initial grant of $1.5 million to help local communities around the world in their battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the effort, the company has launched a two-for-one match campaign that encourages employees and consumers to contribute to its donation page, up to an additional $500,000. The funds will go toward providing financial support for three organizations: the Colorado COVID-19 Relief Fund, CDC Foundation Emergency Response Fund and COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

April 6, 2020: Wholesale platform Joor has partnered with The Worldwide Supply Chain Federation (#TWSCF) on a new private marketplace for verified suppliers and buyers. This builds on the mission of #TWSCF to create a global clearinghouse of carefully vetted PPE and related suppliers, along with setting fixed pricing. Brands like Tibi, Everlane and Citizens of Humanity can sign up to match their production capabilities with a list of products currently in demand; health-care facilities can also register to access the PPE they need most. Data collaboration company Airtable is also helping to facilitate the effort.

April 3, 2020: Several prominent sneaker boutiques have stepped up to help local hospitals. Teaneck, N.J.-based Packer Shoes announced on social media that everything on its online store, Packershoes.com, is 20% off, and 20% of all sales will be donated to The Holy Name Medical Center Foundation.

New York’s Extra Butter released its “New York Forever” T-shirt today via Extrabutterny.com with proceeds going to the grassroots #HelpQueensNow project, which the retailer said will help equip the medical staff in Queens health-care facilities with personal protective equipment. The preorder will be open until April 4.

Yesterday, Jersey City, N.Y. store Sneaker Room added charitable “One Day at a Time” T-shirts and hoodies to its website, Snkrroom.com. Proceeds will be donated to purchase medical supplies for local hospitals.

April 3, 2020: To help support New York City’s mask supply, RG Barry Corp., parent of Dearfoams and Baggallini, will be donating 100,000 masks to hospitals throughout the city through Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office. In addition, Dearfoams slippers and Baggallini bags will be distributed to health-care workers. “All of us at RG Barry Brands want to help protect and make people’s lives better, and we hope the masks, washable slippers, and washable bags will do that,” said Bob Mullaney, president and CEO of RG Barry Brands. “We are beyond thankful and inspired by the heroic efforts of health-care workers everywhere.” The company also plans to launch a “buy one, give one” program where consumers who purchase a pair of slippers or bag will automatically have a pair of slippers or bag donated on their behalf. Starting on April 7, those in the medical community can redeem one free pair of slippers and one bag, while supplies last through the brands’ websites Dearfoams.com and Baggallini.com and have the items shipped directly to them at no cost.

April 3, 2020: To aid in the fight against COVID-19, The Attico designers have launched a week-long charity e-store called “Door is Open”, which launches on April 4. Customers can purchase shoes from spring and fall ’19 as a donation, where all of the profits from the sale will go towards the Protezione Civile (Department of Civil Protection) of Italy. Being based in the Lombardy region of Italy means the coronavirus has greatly impacted its population. Attico’s donations will be helping nurses, doctors and medical practitioners on the front line of the outbreak.

April 3, 2020: As the coronavirus is affecting small businesses across the world, Vans is doing its part to help balance the scales. The brand launched its “Foot the Bill” initiative today, committing to help 80 independent businesses from skate shops to restaurants and music venues. Vans is releasing unique custom-made designs from each company available for purchase on Vans Customs with net proceeds going directly to these partners. Fans can support the businesses by selecting their design and customizing them with other colors, prints and material combinations. Vans will be producing up to 500 pairs of custom Vans per business partner.

April 3, 2020: Vegan sneaker brand Yatay is bringing free footwear to the hardworking doctors in Italy. For every pair they sell, the Italian brand will be donating a free pair of shoes to medical professionals at the Hospital Humanitas in Milan. “Coronavirus has had a terrible impact on my city: every day doctors are risking their life, working continuously, to help other people,” explained Yatay’s founder Umberto de Marco. “We have been incredibly moved by the show of solidarity in our country and although we are still a small brand, we want to make a gesture to show our appreciation.”

April 2, 2020: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, made a major donation to the fight against the rippling effects of the coronavirus. He announced on Instagram that he will be contributing $100 million to Feeding America, saying in his caption: “Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress significantly… Today, I want to support those on the front lines at our nation’s food banks and those who are relying on them.”

April 2, 2020: Dolce Vita has delivered 10,000 medical-grade masks to nine hospitals throughout New York and Washington that not only have an urgent need for such medical equipment but also have a personal connection with members of the brand’s team. Dolce Vita has also contributed to both Feeding America and No Kid Hungry, and shoppers on its site are given the option to round up their orders to make donations of their own.

April 2, 2020: Caleres is responding to the needs of health-care workers by redirecting skilled sewers at its Allen Edmonds factory in Port Washington, Wisc., to produce thousands of masks per day to be delivered to hospitals in Wisconsin. In addition, the company has also donated N-95 masks to health-care systems and first responders in New York and St. Louis. It has also partnered with Crocs to deliver free footwear to health-care professionals, in addition to donating shoes to the Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s Share Your Shoes campaign.

April 2, 2020: Georgia-based footwear company Okabashi Brands is giving back to the health-care community amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. The brand will match every order placed through its website by donating one pair of comfortable and machine-washable shoes to a health-care professional. Shoes can be purchased at Okabashi.com, Oka-B.com, and ExploreThirdOak.com. Customers can also nominate a nurse or other health-care professional by filling out the online donation form at Okabashi.com/Pages/Okabashi-Request or by emailing hello@oka-b.com or hello@okabashi.com.

April 2, 2020: Umar Kamani, CEO of PrettyLittleThing, is donating his full March salary to businesses trying to stay afloat during the current coronavirus pandemic. Proceeds will be going to places like Leigh Nurseries, a children’s nursery in northeast England, and Derian House, a hospice center helping children and youth, among other deserving businesses.

April 2, 2020: Apparel and accessory brand Johnny Was is currently making 10,000 face masks that it will donate to help provide charities and health-care workers with protective gear. They will be delivering the masks from now until April 15.

April 1, 2020: Capri Holdings Limited announced today that its collective brands and its founders are donating over $3 million in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. “Our hearts and souls go out to those who are working on the front lines to help the world combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Capri CEO and chairman John D. Idol. “We thank them for their remarkable dedication and courage and want to support them and the hospitals where they work.” In New York, the Michael Kors brand is donating $1 million to support local relief efforts, while Capri CEO Idol and namesake founder Kors are contributing an additional $1 million. New York City hospital systems, NYU Langone Health and New York-Presbyterian Hospital will each receive $750,000; New York food charity God’s Love We Deliver will get $250,000; and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s coronavirus relief initiative, A Common Tread, will receive $250,000. In Milan, Versace is donating $500,000, which comprises $400,000 destined for San Raffaele Hospital and $100,000 for Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Jimmy Choo is putting $500,000 toward relief efforts in the U.K. and globally; the total will be divided equally between the U.K.’s National Health Service ($250,000) and the World Health Organization ($250,000).

April 1, 2020: The Elaine Gold Launch Pad, created by the Accessories Council and the CFDA, is supporting “A Common Thread,” the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s coronavirus relief initiative. The Elaine Gold Launch Pad is immediately donating $250,000 and will match any donation up to $250,000 that A Common Thread receives, for total of $500,000. “We have all seen firsthand how quickly this virus has affected our friends, family and the industry as a whole. We believe it is our duty to step in and support where and when we can,” said Karen Giberson, president and CEO of the Accessories Council. “The Elaine Gold Launch Pad program is proud to honor Elaine Gold and contribute to the cause by matching any donation up to $250,000 that A Common Thread receives.”

April 1, 2020: As the coronavirus crisis continues, luxury retailer RylandLife.com has announced that it will be donating 25% of all online sales to food banks, shelters and charities through April 3.

Want more?

Charity Works: March 2020

Charity Works: February 2020

Charity Works: December 2019

Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.