Two Ten Footwear Foundation and Amazon Fashion kicked off National Footwear Cares Month, an unprecedented, industry-wide community service event unifying 100 footwear companies and over 6000 volunteers who will be supporting local charities in a broad range of activities coast-to-coast.
“National Footwear Cares Month has become everything we hoped it would be, and much more,” said Stan Friedlander, GMM of footwear, Amazon Fashion, the title sponsor of Footwear Cares. “The footwear industry’s support for this now annual event is extraordinary. The eagerness of shoe companies to come together to provide much needed aid in communities throughout the US, the same communities who support the footwear industry year-after-year, is very gratifying. We are thrilled to be part of this unique program.”
As part of National Footwear Cares Month, repairs will be made to neglected playgrounds, trees will be planted to green-up urban environments and shelters will enjoy extra hands to help parcel food to homeless citizens. In the week-long inaugural event held one year ago, volunteers from 68 footwear companies sorted nearly 125,000 meals, dedicated close to 400 hours to the Super Storm Sandy relief effort in addition to donating more than 200 hours of natural park land clearing and community park clean up.
“While last year’s Footwear Cares effort was outstanding, this year we raised the bar and set our sights on attracting 100 footwear companies to the cause,” said Blake Kruger, chairman, president and CEO, Wolverine Worldwide and chairman of the Two Ten Board of Directors. “This level of support from a single industry is unprecedented. For our industry, it’s only the beginning.”
Two Ten President Neal Newman said, “This year marks Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s 75th anniversary. National Footwear Cares Month is our industry's way of saying thank you to our communities, our schools, our local nonprofit organizations and the generations of families that support the footwear industry. With our fabulous partner, Amazon Fashion, and with the extraordinary support from the footwear community, National Footwear Cares Month 2014 is surpassing all expectations.”
Two Ten is committed to strengthening America's footwear community by providing emergency financial assistance at times of crisis; college scholarships for footwear employees and their families; community building opportunities; career affinity group networking; and other social and career services. For more information about Footwear Cares and Two Ten Footwear Foundation, please visit www.twoten.org.
