Two Ten Footwear Foundation announced that 65 footwear organizations have united in the industrys first-ever Footwear Cares National Footwear Community Service Week, April 21-27, which coincides with National Volunteer Week.
Footwear companies around the nation choose one day during which they provide action and help to support local communities and charities. It could involve gathering and distributing donations for a local food bank, pitching-in with community service projects, or providing other assistance.
Activities are already scheduled for more than 3,000 footwear volunteers in 45 towns and cities across the US, including New York, Boston, Columbus, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. Among the participating companies are Steven Madden, Ltd., New Balance Athletic Shoe, Inc., Zappos.com, Puma, The Timberland Co., Clarks and Brown Shoe Company. Sponsors for the week include Benevity, Footwear Distributors & Retailers of America, Footwear Plus, The Jonas Group, H.H. Brown, Insource Services, Inc., National Shoe Retailers Association, SEI Institutional Group and United Shoe Retailers Association. You can follow and/or comment on Twitter at #footwearcares.
Footwear companies have a spirit of generosity unmatched by any other industry in the USA. Footwear Cares is just one remarkable example of how deep footwear companies are committed to improving the quality of life in our local communities where we live, work and play, said Two Ten Footwear Foundation President Neal Newman.
Chairman of the Two Ten Board, Jim Salzano, President of The Clarks Companies, N.A., said, I am delighted that we will be harnessing the good will already brimming over from our Two Ten companies and their workers. Involvement in Two Ten has always been about doing the right thing for our industry, our workforce and our communities. Footwear Cares is a wonderful opportunity for our industry to shine.
National Footwear Community Service Week is a great way for companies from the footwear industry to give back while reminding ourselves that we all work toward common goals, said Steve Madden, founder of Steven Madden, Ltd. Last February, Steve and Wendy Madden gave an unrestricted $1 million donation to Two Ten Footwear Foundation, to reach more people and increase the national impact of the Foundation.
Two Ten Footwear Foundation is the charitable foundation of the U.S. footwear industry. In 2012, Two Ten awarded $2.5 million in financial assistance and scholarships to footwear workers in need.
