During their five-year partnership, children and family-focused charity K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers Inc. and casual-footwear maker Skechers USA Inc. have distributed a lot of shoes — 7.5 million pairs, to be exact.
Since forging the relationship in 2011, Skechers has donated millions of its Bobs footwear line to the organization. And 30-year-old K.I.D.S/Fashion Delivers said it has turned around and distributed those shoes to more than 180 nonprofit community organizations domestically and internationally.
“New shoes from Bobs from Skechers fulfill a critical need in the lives of the children who receive them,” said Lisa Gurwitch, president and CEO of K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers. “With over 1 million new pairs of Bobs from Skechers shoes distributed each year, K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers and Skechers are able to give the gift of hope, self-esteem to all who receive them.”
Philanthropy has been a top priority for Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based Skechers for some time, according to company president Michael Greenberg. Specifically, the Bobs line has been a major catalyst for the brand’s charitable initiatives.
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“Through our Bobs from Skechers charitable program, we’ve donated more than 13 million pairs of new shoes to children in need in the United States and around the world,” Greenberg said. “This achievement is of course due to the success of the Bobs from Skechers shoe line, working with our key accounts to create some impactful donation events, and the movement of the shoes to the many different charities through K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers.”
He added, “Their extensive charity network has helped us reach kids struggling with poverty, homelessness and natural disasters. I was honored to be at one of the first donation events in June of 2012, and I am pleased that this program, and the work of our many accounts and donation partners continues to provide to children in need.”
Family-footwear retailer Shoe Carnival has also jumped on board, helping to donate Bobs from Skechers to nearly 50,000 children, according to the company.
“From Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Utah to Puerto Rico, local Shoe Carnival employees have volunteered at shoe donation events within their communities, fostering relationships and impacting the lives of these children,” said Todd Beurman, SVP of marketing for Shoe Carnival. “We are delighted to partner with Skechers and K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers to donate even more shoes this year in South Dakota and Arizona.”
For more than three decades, K.I.D.S./Fashion Delivers has donated new products, including apparel, accessories, shoes and home furnishings, to underprivileged families. The charity’s other shoe partners include Deckers Brands, Vans and Nine West.
