Nike donates more than 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel and equipment globally
In recognition of frontline healthcare workers combating COVID-19 around the world, winner of the World Branding Awards, Nike has announced the brand will partner with nonprofit, Good360, in the United States and local organisations across Europe to donate more than 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel and equipment globally.
The effort is led by messages of gratitude to healthcare professionals. From one athlete to another, Nike athletes recognise the physical and mental resilience of healthcare athletes.
Athletes joined with Nike to help announce the donation of 30,000 pairs of Nike Air Zoom Pulse to health systems and hospitals in Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis and New York City, and within the Veterans Health Administration. An additional 2,500 pairs are being donated to hospitals across Europe, including Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan, Paris and in Belgium.
Unveiled in November 2019, the Nike Air Zoom Pulse was the first shoe designed for the healthcare athlete, an everyday hero. Fit, cushioning and traction systems work together to secure the foot in hospital conditions — and all solutions were finalised in tandem with considerations from medical workers at Oregon Health & Science University and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.
Donations of the Air Zoom Pulse in the US will be administered by nonprofit Good360, a longtime Nike partner specialising inefficient distribution of product donations. This partnership ensures delivery of the footwear to health systems and hospitals when they are ready to receive and deliver them to their staff. Approximately 95,000 pairs of soccer socks offering mild compression will also be delivered through Good360 for healthcare workers in Los Angeles and New York City.
Nike has donated 1,100 Nike Sportswear kits — which including a drawstring bag, water bottle, hat or headband and socks — to healthcare workers in New York City. Across Europe, Nike has donated nearly 4,000 pairs of shoes and more than 3,500 pieces of sweat-wicking Dri-FIT apparel to more than a dozen hospitals and shelters.
The Nike family has come together to serve the communities and support the COVID-19 response efforts in communities around the world. Nike’s leaders, employees, the Nike Foundation and Nike have committed more than US$25 million/£20.2 million to these efforts, including US$2 million/£1.6 million in employee donations, supercharged by a two-to-one match since mid-March to support community organisations in need.
Teams across Nike also came together to create and donate full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to help protect healthcare workers against the coronavirus.
