COSTA MESA, Calif.,
Oct. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Vans,
the original action sports brand and advocate for creative
expression, announced today the second-annual Vans
Checkerboard Day to be held on Thursday,
November 19, 2020. As a global initiative established to
champion the power of creative expression, following a period of
global isolation, this year's Checkerboard Day will focus
specifically on the vital role creativity plays in helping
individuals and communities address mental health and well-being
around the world.
"We've spent much of the year apart. And it's been tough. But
despite the isolation, both physically and psychologically, we are
and always will be a Vans Family, forever connected by creativity,"
says Doug Palladini, Vans Global
Brand President. "A recent study by Complex showed that in the
U.S. alone, half of today's youth are more stressed and anxious now
than before COVID-19 started. Through the power of creativity, our
mission for Vans Checkerboard Day 2020 will be to show that smaller
acts of expression can make a big impact on our personal and
collective well-being."
Vans will support 10 charities from around the world whose
shared purpose is to use programs focused on creativity as
resources for coping with the stressors that impact mental health
and well-being, by donating a collective $1 million. Each will receive $100,000 USD from The Vans Checkerboard
Fund at Tides Foundation or via a direct donation from Vans to
use towards their organization's mission to improve the mental
health and well-being of youth across the globe through creativity.
This year's recipients are: Get Lit-Words Ignite, The Skatepark
Project, Arte Por La Vida, Social
Skate, Singapore Association for Mental Health, Buku Jalanan Chow
Kit, World of Art Brut Culture, Campaign Against Living Miserably,
The Wave Project and The Ben Raemers Foundation.
Leading up to November 19, Vans
will rally global fans to participate in a variety of digital brand
initiatives focused on uplifting and driving awareness for the
power of creative self-expression as a resource for mental health
and well-being. This will include the #VansCheckerboardDay TikTok
Challenge and the opportunity to hear directly from global brand
ambassadors such as Tony Hawk,
Anderson .Paak, Yaya Zahir and
others about how their own forms of creative self-expression have
helped them.
On top of the $1 million of
support by Vans, fans across the globe will also have the ability
to support the 10 regional charities by helping to raise additional
donations. They can do so by purchasing a limited-edition Vans
Checkerboard Day t-shirt or pair of Authentics designed by renowned
artist and Vans brand ambassador Geoff
McFetridge and 100 percent of proceeds for each
product sold will be donated to The Vans Checkerboard Fund at Tides
Foundation. Fans will also be able to donate loyalty points via the
Vans Family app in exchange for a monetary donation.
Fans can visit Vans.com/checkerboardday to check out
Checkerboard Day merchandise, learn more about the participating
charities, how to donate and impact the inaugural Vans Checkerboard
Day in 2019 had for local communities. They can also follow
Vans on social media to participate in the
#VansCheckerboardDay TikTok challenge.
About Vans
Vans®, a VF
Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports
footwear, apparel and accessories
brand. Vans® authentic collections are
sold in 97 countries through a network of subsidiaries,
distributors and international
offices. Vans® has over 2,000 retail
locations globally including owned, concession and partnership
doors. The Vans® brand promotes
creative self-expression in youth culture across action sports,
art, music and street culture, and delivers progressive platforms
such as the Vans Checkerboard Day, Vans Park
Series, Vans Triple Crown of
Surfing®, Vans Custom Culture,
and Vans' cultural hub and international music
venue, House of Vans.
Vans, "Off The Wall" Since '66
www.vans.com
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instagram.com/vans
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twitter.com/vans_66
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SOURCE Vans