Donations to relief fund pour in to fight pandemic in vulnerable places around the world

• The VF Foundation pledged an initial $1.5 million on April 3 to provide emergency support to communities around the world fighting COVID-19 and launched a two-for-one community match program to the GlobalGiving Coronavirus Relief Fund, up to an additional $500,000.
• Concerned associates immediately began giving to the community match campaign, collectively raising more than $70,000 in its first week. The VF family of brands is amplifying awareness exponentially with new consumer engagement campaigns.
• Donations to the relief fund and direct support from The Foundation are helping to protect medical workers on the front lines through organizations like the Italian Red Cross and a network of hospitals in Ticino, Switzerland, near VF’s EMEA headquarters.

When VF Corp, The Foundation, and VF brands put out the call last week to associates and social communities to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic, donations to the GlobalGiving Coronavirus Relief Fund immediately started coming in — raising a collective $70,125 in one week, to be exact.

The Foundation announced an initial pledge of $1.5 million on April 3 to fight the pandemic in partnership with the World Health Organization’s Solidarity Response Fund, a collaboration with the UN Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation; the CDC Foundation’s Emergency Response Fund; and the Colorado COVID-19 Relief Fund. The Foundation also promised to match donations to the GlobalGiving Coronavirus Relief Fund two-for-one, up to an additional $500,000, to amplify VF’s collective giving power.

“Our goal is to create movements, in partnership with non-profit organizations, that drive the betterment of people and the planet,” said Gloria Schoch, Director, VF Foundation & Global Impact. “The collective effort by the Foundation, our brands and GlobalGiving is an ideal example of the type of impact we can have when we all work together.”  

VF’s family of brands launched the community match campaign this week as well, pushing word out to consumers around the globe through their popular social media channels.

The Foundation is partnering with GlobalGiving, which supports VF in serving the greatest needs in countries and communities where the company has a meaningful business presence. “Through GlobalGiving, we have provided donations to the Italian Red Cross and a network of hospitals in Ticino, Switzerland, to help keep our medical heroes on the front lines safe as they work tirelessly to save others and fight the spread of COVID-19,” Gloria said.

GlobalGiving, the largest crowdfunding community connecting nonprofits, donors and companies around the globe, has responded to worldwide disasters since 2004.

“We have long-standing relationships with thousands of trusted partners in 170 countries who provide real-time updates from crisis zones,” explained Kelly Beckner, the organization’s Senior Business Partnerships Manager. “We are well-positioned to identify and support community-informed recovery throughout multiple phases, from emergency response to long-term needs.”

Kelly works with myriad companies, but VF has made an indelible impression. “It is exciting to partner with a company that has been so thoughtful in their approach to a crisis of this scale. VF has rallied its leadership, its associates, its brands, its consumers and its friends in a uniquely coordinated effort to fight COVID-19,” she said.

Associates can contribute and share via social media at https://www.globalgiving.org/vfgivesback/