HOKA ONE ONE is the latest footwear company to offer resources to frontline medical workers fighting to stem the tide of coronavirus infections. The athletic company is initiating a program dubbed "Front Line Give Back," aiming to provide 5,000 pairs of cushioned performance sneakers to beleaguered medical workers.
The initiative began with a 400-sneaker pledge in partnership with running retailer JackRabbit that benefits two severely-impacted hospitals in the New York and New Jersey areas, with plans to proliferate the donations throughout America. HOKA ONE ONE's parent company, Deckers, will accompany the rollout of gratis sneakers with a commitment of over $1 million USD to benefit those fighting COVID-19.
One charitable effort includes the new Santa Barbara Better Together Fund, which will aid the community of greater Santa Barbara, where Deckers is based. Another is a grant that benefits the Women's Economic Ventures organization, which seeks to empower women business owners and entrepreneurs and is currently providing emergency financial assistance to small businesses affected by the pandemic.
“Right now, front line medical workers are faced with a tremendous battle, and we are here to support them however we can,” said Wendy Yang, President of HOKA ONE ONE, in a statement. “Their job is to save lives, which makes manufacturing and selling footwear seem trivial by comparison, but we hope by donating these shoes we can help provide some assistance and relief during this incredibly strenuous and demanding time.”
Other international companies are offering resources in the fight against the illness, including TikTok's $250 million USD pledge and Samsung's free glove-friendly phones.
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