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Shut down! How does this Covid-19 Pandemic closure of game reserves and nature parks impact the wildlife it is protecting?
A few weeks ago tourism in Africa came to a screeching halt due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Long awaited African Safaris were canceled and visitors and volunteers fled the continent.
How is the Covid-19 Pandemic impacting Africa’s wildlife?
For some wildlife the break from the endless gawking of tourists may be very welcome. Cheetah, lions, elephants and leopards frequently deal with hoards of tourists crowding them. Excited onlookers in safari vehicles press in for that unique chance to capture that coveted photo.
Though most tourists are respectful of the animals, after all we’re in their home now, some are not. Like us humans, it doesn’t feel good when our personal space is invaded.
So, for some wildlife the lack of tourists may feel really good.
However, for others, the absence of people may spell trouble.
What are the downsides for the wildlife being left alone for a season? If the wild places were really wild places things might be different. However, we’ve interfered with nature more than we may realize, even in Africa.
With the tourists and volunteers gone poaching just got easier. For one, the sheer presence of hundreds of people keeps poachers at bay. Now with the money from tourism dried up where do the funds to pay the anti-poaching rangers come from? In some reserves the anti-poaching teams are funded by tourism dollars. Luckily in others ranger scouts are supported via donations. Like Lynn’s team in Malawi.
Either way, there has never been a better time to send some money along to help protect elephant, rhino, pangolin and other vulnerable wildlife from poachers.
Elephants and other wildlife used to migrate up and down the African continent in search of food and water. Today the movement of these wild animals is limited by fences and human activity.
In many reserves water is either hauled in or pumped from bore holes to fill the water holes. During times of economic stress and upheaval like with the Covid-19 Pandemic providing water may possibly fall by the wayside.
Although feeding the wildlife is strictly prohibited in most Game Reserves and National Parks, it still happens. Monkeys, hyenas and birds hang around picnic areas and camp grounds. They watch for any morsels of food dropped or left behind.
Unfortunately, some visitors toss chunks of meat or left overs into the bush. Some feel they’re doing the wild animals a favor, while others enjoy enticing them closer. At one camp we had hyena come right along the camp perimeter to snatch the meat our ‘neighbors’ had tossed through the fence for them.
When the humans are gone some of these wild animals have become so accustom to being fed they may hang around until they starve.
How is the Covid-19 Pandemic impacting Africa’s wildlife?
Looks like it a bit of good and bad. However, listening to the wildlife experts the wildlife poaching is bound to pick up as local villagers go hungry. Others suggest that the wildlife trafficking syndicates will take advantage and ramp up.
Whatever reality is… wildlife and those who protect and preserve it deserve our help.
The well has run dry.
The Treasury Department and Small Business Association’s Paycheck Protection Program is out of money, according to a message posted on the SBA’s site. The U.S. government had allotted an initial $349 billion pool in emergency loans for small businesses battered by the coronavirus pandemic. But Democratic and Republican lawmakers have yet to reach a deal to replenish the now-empty pot.
“The SBA is currently unable to accept new applications for the Paycheck Protection Program based on available appropriations funding,” the SBA wrote. “Similarly, we are unable to enroll new PPP lenders at this time.”
The PPP, which guarantees loans to companies and nonprofits with fewer than 500 employees, was one component of the federal government’s $2.2 trillion CARES Act, passed in late March. The act included numerous components meant to protect American jobs and inject money into the economy, such as stimulus checks for citizens, expanded unemployment benefits and mortgage deferrals for individuals and landlords.
While lawmakers are at odds on next steps, elected officials on both sides of the aisle — and economic experts — are in agreement that further steps are needed to prevent a Great Depression.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Democratic legislators are meeting Thursday in hopes of agreeing on a package to increase funding for the Small Business Association. The Senate is to meet for a pro forma session at 3 p.m. ET, and a deal needs to be reached prior to then in order for more funds to be allocated this week.
Where the footwear industry is concerned, Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America president and CEO Matt Priest said this week that shoe firms need immediate government action to stem the bleeding of cash.
“What we would like to see in the near term is something that doesn’t even need legislation — it’s a holiday on duty payments on imports from China,” he told FN. According to the FDRA, footwear companies paid $3.3 billion in footwear duties in 2019. Another boon to shoe companies, Priest said, would be more protections for retail tenants, giving them some flexibility on rent payments. Want more?
More Than Half of US Retail Space Is Closed — What That Means for the Economy
As retailers adapt to coronavirus-related store closures, reduced staffing and a shift to online shopping, they’ve also been forced to rethink their return policies.
For nonessential retailers whose brick-and-mortar locations are largely shuttered, shoppers now have fewer options for returning or exchanging unwanted purchases. Acknowledging this, many have extended their return windows beyond the usual 30 days. DSW, for instance, is offering returns within 90 days from the date of purchase with a receipt, while Foot Locker will accept returns and exchanges up to 30 days after its stores reopen for purchases made after February 1, a policy that applies to both online and in-store orders.
Macy’s is offering an additional 60 days from the original return date, making most items eligible for return within 150 days. (For Backstage and Last Act clearance, the window is now 90 days.) On its website, it warns that refunds may take extra time due to limited staffing in its warehouses, and says purchases made in stores may not be returned online, so some shoppers will have to wait until local stay-at-home restrictions ease.
Even e-commerce businesses are giving customers more time to return purchases, in part to ease the burden on their already-overextended warehouse workforces. For shoppers in the U.S. and Canada, Amazon has said that it will allow returns through May 31 on most items ordered between March 1 and April 30.
For omnichannel retailers, offering in-store returns for online orders has become an increasingly popular — and profitable — strategy in recent years. According to a study by marketing technology platform Valassis, 71% of consumers prefer to return or exchange their purchases in stores, and 77% are likely to buy other items when doing so.
For shoppers, this option facilitates a faster refund or exchange and eliminates the concern of the package getting lost in the mail; for retailers, it represents major cost savings on return shipping and offers the possibility of another sale.
Yet even retailers that have remained open have in some cases banned or suspended in-store returns, citing concerns about the spread of COVID-19.
On March 25, Target announced that it would stop accepting in-store returns for three weeks “to be extra cautious” about the health and safety of its store associates and customers. It has since extended this policy through April 26, though it says it will honor expired returns for three weeks following this “holding period.”
According to a recent report by Narvar and Forrester, 42% of retailers surveyed said they had paused their in-store pickup and return in-store services as of March, while 2% said they were considering it. Many (40%) also said they had relaxed their return policies to accommodate the uncertain situation, while 27% said they were considering doing so.
Ouverture du fonds de solidarité aux entreprises en difficulté, financements régionaux relevés, annulation de charges, conflit sur les loyers commerciaux... Bercy apporte des réponses sur les ajustements des aides.
April 14, 2020: Today Toms announced it will be donating one-third of net profits to the COVID-19 Global Giving Fund created to support long-time giving partners on the frontlines of the COVID-19 health crisis. As of April 1 every purchase will directly support these partners both in the UK and abroad. For every $3.75 it makes it will donate $1.25 to the COVID-19 Global Giving Fund. “Toms has always been in business to improve lives. That mission is important to us and our community everyday. Now, more than ever, we are honored to apply what we have learned over the past 14 years of giving to address this global health crisis,” said chief giving officer, Amy Smith in a statement. “We know the best way to help is to use our resources and the power of our customer’s purchase to invest in our giving partners who are on the frontlines directly addressing this pandemic,” the statement added. The fund currently supports Americares, International Medical Corps, Partners in Health, WaterAid and UK-based mental health organization The Mix.
April 14, 2020, The Ermenegildo Zegna Group has started manufacturing protective medical overalls with the aim of producing 280,000 pieces. Of these, 250,000 pieces will be channeled into Italy’s Piedmont region and the remaining 30,000 units will be sent to the Canton Ticino area in Switzerland. The effort involved a collaboration between the Zegna Group, Fondazione Zegna, the Piedmont region and Canton Ticino. The protective suits are constructed with a non-woven fabric, produced by Pratrivero SpA in Biella, Italy. “The Zegna Group is incredibly pleased that the Biella textile district and Unione Industriale Biellese responded immediately to our appeal to work together during this difficult period,” said the group in a statement. “Let’s look out for each other. Let’s get through this together,” added CEO Gildo Zegna.
April 14, 2020: Rihanna has donated $2.1 million to the Mayor’s Fund in Los Angeles via her nonprofit Clara Lionel Foundation to assist victims affected by domestic violence during the coronavirus lockdown. The singer and entrepreneur has partnered with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey to give a total of $4.2 million to the cause. The sum will help fund 10 weeks of support, including meals, shelter and counseling for families. This follows an announcement in March that it would donate $5 million to fund international COVID-19 initiatives.
April 13, 2020: R0AM is donating 15% of proceeds from April sales to the organization Make More Masks. Founded by Los Angeles-based activist Elizabeth Naftali, Make More Masks provides masks to nonprofit clinics, health-care workers and more to combat the shortage of quality masks caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Styles sell on the brand’s site for between $117 and $132.
April 13, 2020: Rebecca Minkoff is launching a new way for customers to give back and support the city of New York in style. The brand debuted itsNew York Stronger Togethert-shirt today with 100% of profits the shirt’s sales going towardsMask A Hero, an organization that works to provide healthcare workers on the frontlines of the current health crisis with proper protective equipment and gear in New York and beyond. The t-shirt sells for $35 and is available at RebeccaMinkoff.com now.
Rebecca Minkoff’s New York Stronger Together t-shirt.
CREDIT: Courtesy of Rebecca Minkoff
April 10, 2020: Bohemian-inspired fashion label Johnny Was has started making face masks for purchase. As part of a one-for-one initiative, the brand will donate one mask for each one sold. To date, it has already donated over 10,000 masks to hospitals and charities. Starting today, the masks are shoppable on its website. All masks are non-medical grade and made from 100% repurposed fabrics. They include a pleated silhouette and interior pocket for an additional filter.
April 10, 2020: Katy Perry’s eponymous brand is giving back to a cause close to the singer’s heart. During April and May, Katy Perry Collections will be donating 10% of the proceeds from its online sales to Baby2Baby, an organization that works to provide diapers, formula and other basic essentials to children in need across the country. The organization has enacted several initiatives in the face of the coronavirus to help families affected by the pandemic and its rippling effects.
April 10, 2020: Quero Shoes is donating 15% of all of its shoe sales to food rescue organization City Harvest to help keep New Yorkers fed during the coronavirus crisis — particularly as many children across the state are losing access to school meals and families are facing financial challenges affording food. The Spain-crafted footwear brand has also added a portal on its website’s homepage for shoppers to contribute directly to the nonprofit.
Quero Shoes Capri in tan leather.
CREDIT: Quero Shoes
April 10, 2020: Tory Burch has partnered with 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare workers’ union in the nation, to donate approximately 24,000 products to healthcare workers. Valued at more than $5 million total, these pieces include sneakers, fanny packs and Tory Sport apparel that these medical professionals can wear on the job under scrubs or at home to decompress. 1199SEIU represents over 450,000 frontline workers in New York, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Florida and the District of Columbia. In addition to donating apparel and footwear, Tory Burch is also contributing nearly 3,000 yards of fabric to make face masks and hospital gowns for healthcare workers and patients in a joint effort with the Catholic Health Services of Long Island, serving six New York hospitals. The Tory Burch Foundation will also continue to provide loans to female entrepreneurs through its Capital Program, powered by Bank of America, which gives an average of $1 million monthly in affordable loans to women business owners in the United States.
April 9, 2020: Duke + Dexter has shifted its U.K. factory operations from producing footwear to face masks during the coronavirus pandemic. The label is making 5,000 face masks each week in Sheffield, England, which will be given free of charge to those most in need. Additionally, Duke + Dexter is encouraging people to stay home and hopes its efforts will also encourage others to become involved in fighting COVID-19.
April 9, 2020: AERA has announced today that it will be donating 20% of all its April sales to the Food Bank of New York City in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With operations spanning multiple continents, the sustainable brand has felt the effects of the health crisis. “As a small, mission-driven startup, AERA has been affected during this pandemic, first in Italy where our artisans and suppliers are based and now here in NY where our company was born,” a press release stated. With a range of luxury styles for men and women, the AERA e-commerce site, which is open for business, is filled with classic and trend-forward styles.
April 9, 2020: Hunter has donated 1,500 pairs of its rain boots to the London Ambulance Service. The British heritage brand is also donating 1,000 vinyl waterproof jackets to hospitals in the United States, its largest market. Additionally, Hunter is offering discounts to medical workers. Intensive care and respiratory unit teams can take 50% off, while all health-care worker organizations across the globe are eligible for 30% off.
April 9, 2020: Ranch Road Boots announced that it will be donating 5% of proceeds from sales of items from its spring collection — being released today — to Doctors Without Borders to assist with the organization’s coronavirus relief efforts.
Ranch Road Boots spring ’20.
CREDIT: Courtesy
April 8, 2020: Fashion Nova tapped Cardi B to help them with their new give-back campaign in the face of the coronavirus. The Fashion Nova Cares with Cardi B initiative will donate $1,000 every hour until the total donation reaches $1 million. Together, they are hoping to help out anyone facing issues with rent, unemployment, food, medicine and other essentials during these difficult times. To qualify, you can nominate yourself or others at fashionnova.com/cares. The brand will select 24 people each day for the duration of the program to receive the $1,000 checks.
April 8, 2020: Louis Vuitton announced today that four of its workshops in France have been completely repurposed in order to begin production on nonsurgical masks, thanks to the dedicated work of 300 artisans in these locations. The face masks will be donated to organizations such as nursing homes and care homes. Meanwhile, Louis Vuitton chairman and CEO Michael Burke announced today that he’s committed to creating “many thousands of masks that will be distributed within the region, at no charge, to protect those who are most exposed.”
Louis Vuitton repurposes French workshops to produce face masks for the global health crisis.
CREDIT: Louis Vuitton
April 8, 2020: Mayhoola, parent company to luxury fashion houses Balmain, Valentino and Pal Zileri, announced it will donate 1 million euros ($1.09 million) to La Fondation Hôpitaux de Paris – Hôpitaux de France. The donation will help provide some of the most essential supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic, including respirators, blood collection kits, masks and more, specifically at two hospitals in Paris: the Montfermeil and Delafontaine. Additionally, part of the donation will go toward medical workers on the front line and ensure they’re receiving proper physical and mental support to continue fighting the enduring crisis.
April 8, 2020: Alice + Olivia is making it a priority to give back during the coronavirus pandemic. So far, the brand has donated $20,000 to the No Kid Hungry organization as well as supplies to create 50,000 face shields for doctors and nurses at NYU Langone. In addition, Alice + Olivia kicked off the #MaskItForward one-for-one initiative, where customers can purchase protective masks online. For each mask sold, the company will donate one to the medical community.
Alice + Olivia protective mask, on sale now for $10.
CREDIT: Courtesy of Alice + Olivia
April 8, 2020:Concepts announced today that it is donating footwear from its inventory to healthcare workers in Boston facilities organizations. The boutique retailer said the donation will be continuous. The list of organizations that will receive shoes from Concepts includes Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton, Boston Children’s Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. “Boston is our home and the people of Boston are our family. We have a responsibility to do everything we can to help the city and community during these unprecedented times,” Concepts CEO Tarek Hassan said in a statement. Also, the retailer — which has a location in New York City — stated it is partnering with its apparel vendor’s factory to produce Centers of Disease Control and Prevention-approved KN95 masks rather than its private label apparel. These will be distributed to NYC healthcare institutions for workers.
April 8, 2020:Toms has announced it will be donating one-third of net profits to the COVID-19 Global Giving Fund created to support long-time Giving Partners currently on the front lines of the health crisis. Beginning this month, every Toms purchase will directly support Giving Partners that are responding to COVID-19, both in the U.S. and abroad. For every $3, the company will donate $1 to the fund, which currently supports giving partners the brands has worked with for many years. The Toms COVID-19 Global Giving Fund currently supports Americares, Crisis Text Line, International Medical Corps, Partners in Health, and Water Aid.
April 8, 2020: Burton Snowboards is donating 500,000 KN95 masks to health-care workers in the northeastern United States in response to the unprecedented shortage of personal protective equipment. The company has already delivered 48,000 masks to hospitals across the state of Vermont, where it is headquartered, as well as to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in New Hampshire. Within the next two weeks, Burton will deliver an additional 452,000 masks to hospitals in two hard-hit cities, Boston and New York. Additionally, Anon, Burton’s helmet and goggle division, is working with GogglesforDoc.com to provide snow goggles to medical professionals who need eye protection; so far, over 1,300 pairs have been donated.
April 8, 2020:Ugg and parent company Deckers Brands are launching their “Better Together” initiative to donate over $1 million to COVID-19 relief efforts. Ugg is specifically committed to donating funds to New York City’s health-care system in addition to joining together to benefit select hotels in the city that are housing medical personnel by providing pieces like comfortable slippers and robes for these health-care professionals serving on the front lines. The brand will also be holding an Instagram giveaway to give back to deserving individuals during the current crisis, giving away 500 pairs per week for a month starting on April 10. In California, where Deckers Brands is headquartered, the company is establishing the Santa Barbara Better Together Fund in partnership with the Santa Barbara Foundation, also calling for other community leaders to contribute to small business and to help provide vital supplies to medical professionals. Lastly, Ugg and Hoka One One will be providing free shoes to 145 workers on the front lines at Santa Barbara-based Sansum Clinic, one of the oldest nonprofit outpatient clinics and health-care providers on the south and central coasts of California.
April 8, 2020: For the month of April, Bernardo 1946 is donating 20% of sales to go towards the Direct Relief organization, which is focused on helping combat the coronavirus by supporting health-care providers with proper PPE. In addition, funds going to Direct Relief will help its collaboration with infectious disease epidemiologists, technology companies and public agencies to use aggregated mobility data to support the COVID-19 response, as well as boosting support to safety-net facilities to address existing chronic gaps that are likely to grow.
April 8, 2020: In partnership with the Italian Red Cross, Salvatore Ferragamo is financing the renovation of two wards in a Florence hospital. The renovated wards can hold 60 patients who are in quarantine or who are recovering from COVID-19. In both wards, 31 people will be employed, including two doctors and 15 nurses. Ferragamo previously created and donated 100,000 face masks to fight the coronavirus threat, and it provided 50,000 hand sanitizers and 3,000 respirator masks to health-care officials in Italy’s Tuscany region.
April 7, 2020: Thursday Boot Company is partnering with one of its Mexican factories to produce HK-19 polypropylene masks for COVID-19 health-care workers. The company plans to donate at least 14,000 masks by April 10 to hospitals, fire departments, homeless shelters and related organizations. In collaboration with Direct Relief, it held its first-ever warehouse sale, donating $15 for every pair of shoes sold. So far, over $100,000 has been raised to support the coronavirus fight.
Thursday Boot Co. is producing masks at its Mexico factory.
CREDIT: Courtesy
April 7, 2020: Kering announced today that it is donating $1 million to the CDC Foundation to provide personal protective equipment and other supplies to support the efforts of health-care workers in the Americas. The Gucci and Bottega Veneta parent is also supporting A Common Thread, the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund coronavirus relief initiative, as well as Your Friends in New York Want to Help, an organization created by Pyer Moss designer Kerby Jean-Raymond. These contributions come in addition to past Kering donations supporting relief efforts in France, Italy and China.
April 7, 2020: York Athletics Mfg. has launched an initiative called #FightFromHome to give back to workers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. Individuals can go to the brand’s site to send a pair of sneakers to a loved one on the front lines, along with a customized note. In addition, the company has donated 50 pairs of its slip-on sneakers to workers at Boston’s Community Servings.
April 7, 2020: Sanita, which specializes in professional clogs, is standing behind the many hospitality workers on the front lines of the coronavirus crisis. The company is donating a portion of every purchase on sanita.com during April to support medical providers and hospitality workers. The donations will include $10 for every pair of shoes purchased on sanita.com, as well as $5 for every new signup to its email list. These proceeds will be split evenly between #GetUsPPE, which provides personal protective equipment to medical workers, and the James Beard Foundation, which raises funds to support chefs and restaurant owners hit by the coronavirus crisis. “We realized that the majority of Sanita customers, those working in hospitality and those on the medical front lines, were being significantly affected by the current COVID-19 crisis and its economic implications,” said Matt Tracy, president of Sanita USA/M Leonard Int’l. “We hope to be able to support those who have supported us over the years.”
April 6, 2020: Having just launched in January, online women’s brand Seecaas, is partnering with Feed the Children through the end of May to help children through the COVID-19 crisis. “We know so many children around the world and their families rely on school breakfasts and lunches,” said Ashley Hensley, company founder. Hensley has committed 100% of its profits from its navy Ella flat and Hope bracelets, as well as a percentage from all other sales. In addition, the company will continue to support the Seecaas Hope for Adoption Foundation that provides grants to people who choose to grow their families through adoption.
April 6, 2020: Havaianas and parent company Alpargatas are pitching in to help during the coronavirus pandemic. Alpargatas is donating 100,000 kits with Havaianas that will include hygiene products and food for vulnerable communities in Brazil. At the community level, Alpargatas has pledged hand sanitizer and supplies and equipment for the production of COVID-19 test kits, along with 100,00 pairs of Havaianas flip-flops and sneakers. Additionally, Alpargatas is donating 52,000 pairs of shoes to aid hospital workers in Brazil, along with 250,000 N95 face masks and 100,000 feet of fabric to produce personal protective equipment. The company is also donating sound system equipment to the Favela Connection radio station in Rio de Janeiro to produce and announce official content on how to prevent the spread of the virus.
April 6, 2020:The North Face announced today that it is committing $1 million through its Explore Fund to support outdoor communities worldwide, specifically to areas that are in greatest need to recover from the effects of the coronavirus crisis. The company also stated it has committed to donating 60,000 gloves to health-care professionals and first responders in Colorado, where TNF is based. In addition to the charitable contributions, the brand said that its stores in North America will remain closed with a tentative reopening date of May 4.
April 6, 2020: Brothers Diego and Andrea Della Valle, chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of Tod’s Group are donating 5 million euros ($5.4 million) to family members of health personnel who have died fighting the coronavirus pandemic. The donation was made on behalf of all Tod’s Group employees, which includes the Tod’s, Roger Vivier, Hogan and Fay brands. The fund, called Sempre con Voi (Always With You) will be entrusted to Italy’s Civil Protection Department.
April 6, 2020:The Tiffany & Co. Foundation is donating $1 million to COVID-19 causes, which includes allocating $750,000 to the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization powered by the UN. The remaining $250,000 is going to the New York Community Trust’s NYC COVID-19 Response & Impact Fund. The New York-based jewelry brand, which was officially acquired by LVMH in February, will also match employee donations dollar-for-dollar to any qualified nonprofit organization supporting the relief efforts.
April 6, 2020: The VF Foundation has announced an initial grant of $1.5 million to help local communities around the world in their battle against the COVID-19 pandemic. As part of the effort, the company has launched a two-for-one match campaign that encourages employees and consumers to contribute to its donation page, up to an additional $500,000. The funds will go toward providing financial support for three organizations: the Colorado COVID-19 Relief Fund, CDC Foundation Emergency Response Fund and COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
April 6, 2020: Wholesale platform Joor has partnered with The Worldwide Supply Chain Federation (#TWSCF) on a new private marketplace for verified suppliers and buyers. This builds on the mission of #TWSCF to create a global clearinghouse of carefully vetted PPE and related suppliers, along with setting fixed pricing. Brands like Tibi, Everlane and Citizens of Humanity can sign up to match their production capabilities with a list of products currently in demand; health-care facilities can also register to access the PPE they need most. Data collaboration company Airtable is also helping to facilitate the effort.
April 3, 2020: Several prominent sneaker boutiques have stepped up to help local hospitals. Teaneck, N.J.-based Packer Shoes announced on social media that everything on its online store, Packershoes.com, is 20% off, and 20% of all sales will be donated to The Holy Name Medical Center Foundation.
New York’s Extra Butter released its “New York Forever” T-shirt today via Extrabutterny.com with proceeds going to the grassroots #HelpQueensNow project, which the retailer said will help equip the medical staff in Queens health-care facilities with personal protective equipment. The preorder will be open until April 4.
Yesterday, Jersey City, N.Y. store Sneaker Room added charitable “One Day at a Time” T-shirts and hoodies to its website, Snkrroom.com. Proceeds will be donated to purchase medical supplies for local hospitals.
April 3, 2020: To help support New York City’s mask supply, RG Barry Corp., parent of Dearfoams and Baggallini, will be donating 100,000 masks to hospitals throughout the city through Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office. In addition, Dearfoams slippers and Baggallini bags will be distributed to health-care workers. “All of us at RG Barry Brands want to help protect and make people’s lives better, and we hope the masks, washable slippers, and washable bags will do that,” said Bob Mullaney, president and CEO of RG Barry Brands. “We are beyond thankful and inspired by the heroic efforts of health-care workers everywhere.” The company also plans to launch a “buy one, give one” program where consumers who purchase a pair of slippers or bag will automatically have a pair of slippers or bag donated on their behalf. Starting on April 7, those in the medical community can redeem one free pair of slippers and one bag, while supplies last through the brands’ websites Dearfoams.com and Baggallini.com and have the items shipped directly to them at no cost.
April 3, 2020: To aid in the fight against COVID-19, The Attico designers have launched a week-long charity e-store called “Door is Open”, which launches on April 4. Customers can purchase shoes from spring and fall ’19 as a donation, where all of the profits from the sale will go towards the Protezione Civile (Department of Civil Protection) of Italy. Being based in the Lombardy region of Italy means the coronavirus has greatly impacted its population. Attico’s donations will be helping nurses, doctors and medical practitioners on the front line of the outbreak.
April 3, 2020: As the coronavirus is affecting small businesses across the world, Vans is doing its part to help balance the scales. The brand launched its “Foot the Bill” initiative today, committing to help 80 independent businesses from skate shops to restaurants and music venues. Vans is releasing unique custom-made designs from each company available for purchase on Vans Customs with net proceeds going directly to these partners. Fans can support the businesses by selecting their design and customizing them with other colors, prints and material combinations. Vans will be producing up to 500 pairs of custom Vans per business partner.
April 3, 2020: Vegan sneaker brand Yatay is bringing free footwear to the hardworking doctors in Italy. For every pair they sell, the Italian brand will be donating a free pair of shoes to medical professionals at the Hospital Humanitas in Milan. “Coronavirus has had a terrible impact on my city: every day doctors are risking their life, working continuously, to help other people,” explained Yatay’s founder Umberto de Marco. “We have been incredibly moved by the show of solidarity in our country and although we are still a small brand, we want to make a gesture to show our appreciation.”
April 2, 2020: Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, made a major donation to the fight against the rippling effects of the coronavirus. He announced on Instagram that he will be contributing $100 million to Feeding America, saying in his caption: “Even in ordinary times, food insecurity in American households is an important problem, and unfortunately COVID-19 is amplifying that stress significantly… Today, I want to support those on the front lines at our nation’s food banks and those who are relying on them.”
April 2, 2020:Dolce Vita has delivered 10,000 medical-grade masks to nine hospitals throughout New York and Washington that not only have an urgent need for such medical equipment but also have a personal connection with members of the brand’s team. Dolce Vita has also contributed to both Feeding America and No Kid Hungry, and shoppers on its site are given the option to round up their orders to make donations of their own.
April 2, 2020: Caleres is responding to the needs of health-care workers by redirecting skilled sewers at its Allen Edmonds factory in Port Washington, Wisc., to produce thousands of masks per day to be delivered to hospitals in Wisconsin. In addition, the company has also donated N-95 masks to health-care systems and first responders in New York and St. Louis. It has also partnered with Crocs to deliver free footwear to health-care professionals, in addition to donating shoes to the Two Ten Footwear Foundation’s Share Your Shoes campaign.
April 2, 2020: Georgia-based footwear company Okabashi Brands is giving back to the health-care community amidst the current COVID-19 pandemic. The brand will match every order placed through its website by donating one pair of comfortable and machine-washable shoes to a health-care professional. Shoes can be purchased at Okabashi.com, Oka-B.com, and ExploreThirdOak.com. Customers can also nominate a nurse or other health-care professional by filling out the online donation form at Okabashi.com/Pages/Okabashi-Request or by emailing hello@oka-b.com or hello@okabashi.com.
April 2, 2020: Umar Kamani, CEO of PrettyLittleThing, is donating his full March salary to businesses trying to stay afloat during the current coronavirus pandemic. Proceeds will be going to places like Leigh Nurseries, a children’s nursery in northeast England, and Derian House, a hospice center helping children and youth, among other deserving businesses.
April 2, 2020: Apparel and accessory brand Johnny Was is currently making 10,000 face masks that it will donate to help provide charities and health-care workers with protective gear. They will be delivering the masks from now until April 15.
April 1, 2020: Capri Holdings Limited announced today that its collective brands and its founders are donating over $3 million in support of COVID-19 relief efforts. “Our hearts and souls go out to those who are working on the front lines to help the world combat the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Capri CEO and chairman John D. Idol. “We thank them for their remarkable dedication and courage and want to support them and the hospitals where they work.” In New York, the Michael Kors brand is donating $1 million to support local relief efforts, while Capri CEO Idol and namesake founder Kors are contributing an additional $1 million. New York City hospital systems, NYU Langone Health and New York-Presbyterian Hospital will each receive $750,000; New York food charity God’s Love We Deliver will get $250,000; and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s coronavirus relief initiative, A Common Tread, will receive $250,000. In Milan, Versace is donating $500,000, which comprises $400,000 destined for San Raffaele Hospital and $100,000 for Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Jimmy Choois putting $500,000 toward relief efforts in the U.K. and globally; the total will be divided equally between the U.K.’s National Health Service ($250,000) and the World Health Organization ($250,000).
April 1, 2020: The Elaine Gold Launch Pad, created by the Accessories Council and the CFDA, is supporting “A Common Thread,” the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund’s coronavirus relief initiative. The Elaine Gold Launch Pad is immediately donating $250,000 and will match any donation up to $250,000 that A Common Thread receives, for total of $500,000. “We have all seen firsthand how quickly this virus has affected our friends, family and the industry as a whole. We believe it is our duty to step in and support where and when we can,” said Karen Giberson, president and CEO of the Accessories Council. “The Elaine Gold Launch Pad program is proud to honor Elaine Gold and contribute to the cause by matching any donation up to $250,000 that A Common Thread receives.”
April 1, 2020: As the coronavirus crisis continues, luxury retailer RylandLife.comhas announced that it will be donating 25% of all online sales to food banks, shelters and charities through April 3.
There was a time in our life when we averaged at least 7 weddings a summer. In fact, I remember a year with 13 and there were 3 in one day.
I kinda miss wedding season: finding that perfect dress for the occasion, seeing the decor come together, hearing the vows and visiting with friends/family. Oh, and the food. What is it about the spreads at prairie weddings that are just so delicious? Must be all those hours spent making perogies.
Turns out that this summer we get a taste of wedding season again with two weddings in our family- one on Dan's side and one on mine. The wedding in August that will be very country (can't wait to figure out a dress for that and see all my cousins again...also the food)- it feels like we haven't had a wedding on our side of the family for a long time, or at least one that I could attend.
The other wedding is also very exciting- Dan's brother is getting married and everything about this event is novel. First off, I just gotta say how excited I am to have a new sister in law. Leah is an absolute gem and it makes me giddy just thinking about having her in our lives. She's one of those people who is so genuinely kind, loving and warm- it's impossible not to love her. I am so happy Chris found love in such an amazing woman and can't wait to celebrate them.
Now let's talk about the wedding details.
Colour Scheme
This is a small wedding so they decided everyone is in the bridal party and then gave a colour scheme for you to dress in. I love the colours they picked and it was actually quite easy to find something for everyone in our family. I can't wait to see how the pictures after the ceremony turn out!
Dress Picking
While sleuthing online, I found the best selection at Nordstrom so I waited for our trip to see Pink to Vancouver in April to go dress shopping. There were some typical style bridesmaid dress in those colours but they were too fancy and too long. I wanted something simple and chill that I could wear again. And well, you know how often those bridesmaid dresses get worn again. I had wanted to put my try on sessions pictures on here but then the computer with all the pictures is packed, so we'll do this instead...good ol' browser history on Nordstrom. Here are a few I tried on and didn't love:
In the end I went with an Isabel Marant dress from her offspring line, étoile- which is all so perfectly french. It's flowy and feminine and looks awesome with a leather jacket. I can dress it up or wear it with sneakers and it won't be too hot.
Vows. Venue. Decor. Oh MY!
This is where the crazy cool comes in to play. They wanted a destination wedding and well, location picking must have been a blast because the wedding is in a chateau in Bordeaux. That's right, the French countryside.
We get to stay right in the castle, built in the 14th century, where the wedding will take place and it's going to be magical. I'll be blogging our trip as we adventure through France over the next week, so stay tuned!
It's been a busy/stressful past month with everything going on in our life, but the house is all packed up, it's been handed over to my cousin who will be living in it while we sell it and all that's left to do now is to take a deep breathe and enjoy this family time away and celebrate a beautiful wedding!!
Sometimes people walk into your lives and change everything.
Leah is that person for us.
She has this smile that lights up a room and this calming, loving presence that just leaves you craving more. She inspires you to be a better person and leaves you believing in yourself a little more. I doubt she realizes she does that, but she does. And we are so blessed to have her as family.
Yesterday we celebrated a beautiful wedding in the most fairytale of settings. We stood beside our Chris as he promised a life of love to Leah. It was a beautiful and very hot day and one that we won't likely forget.
A little about the wedding. They wanted something different, a destination wedding that wasn't Mexico. I remember them talking about their yard in their new home in Kelowna but it's being renovated so that wasn't an option. There was talk of Italy, there was talk of France. In the end they picked a castle in the middle of the french countryside, 2 hours out of Bordeaux. It was a small wedding with just 60ish people with people stay on site and in little places around the Castle.
The wedding took place on the Castle grounds and had a very relax and personal vibe. Their closest friends and family stood around them as they said their vows. I would have taken more pictures but I was the "officiant" with zero power to actually marry them but 100% power to walk them through it. Spoiler alert - I got choked up and cried.
The kids were involved and gave them their rings and then proceeded to have massive meltdowns, mostly because of photos and the inability to smile. And it was super hot and sweaty.
There was a couple hours of down time between the intimate ceremony and the meal, they had a 4 piece band walking around serenading and free-flowing champagne and canapes. The meal took place in the backyard that has the most amazing view of the countryside, speckled with small french towns. We even had to jump in the pool in between courses in order to cool off.
A magical day came to a close early for us as the kids needed sleep which is sometimes a blessing as a parent when you're exhausted too. Exhausted or really sweaty, whatever.
We are so blessed to have a new aunty/sister and can't wait to spend more time with the newlyweds!
The pouch can be worn either across the top of your foot or behind your heel
Crocs have found a way to become an even more divisive footwear choice, by incorporating storage onto the backs of the rubber clogs.
In collaboration with Japanese brand Beams, Crocs have released a version of the perforated shoes, available in teal and blue, that come complete with miniature bumbags, known as fanny packs in the US.
Depending on what you need it for, and your style preference, the accompanying pouch can be worn either in the front over the top of your Croc-encased foot, or behind your heel.
But the convenience will cost you, as the Bespoke Pocket Crog cost $53 (£40), slightly more than a typical pair of Crocs which retail for $39.99 (£30).
On social media, the latest Crocs have been met with mixed responses ranging from horror and amusement to appreciation.
