CHICO'S FAS THANKFUL IN LIGHT OF HURRICANE IAN
REBUILD EFFORTS
FORT
MYERS, Fla., Dec. 6, 2022
/PRNewswire/ -- It has been over 2 months since Hurricane Ian made
landfall, and as the year comes to a close, Chico's FAS, Inc.
(NYSE: CHS) (the "Company" or "Chico's FAS") is reflecting on the
past year with thanks.
Immediately after the storm passed, the first order of business
was to make sure Chico's family was safe - after all, Chico's FAS
headquarters and many of their stores were in the eye of the storm.
And to Chico's, "family" means associates, customers and their
local Fort Myers neighbors. The
company deployed technology within hours, desperate to know that
all were safe. They were. That information was the first of daily
messages shared by the brand's CEO and Chief People Officer,
keeping everyone informed of the support being provided to
associates and their families. This included an associate Disaster
Relief Fund to assist those that suffered impact and property or
other losses as well as a partnership with Metlife Legal Support to
navigate the claims process. All communication was hosted on an
intranet for 24/7 easy access during a time that connectivity was a
challenge for most.
While over 109 stores were affected with 4 stores (including the
iconic Sanibel Island Chico's location) facing a complete rebuild,
thankfully the HQ Campus suffered minor damage. As a result, within
24 hours, Chico's FAS HQ was transformed into the home base for
over 1,000 essential workers including American Red Cross Disaster
Relief and Power and Light teams, which they used as a home base
for 2 months following the hurricane, working to restore power and
infrastructure to the community.
"These brave men and women stepped in immediately, set up camp
and haven't stopped – they just keep going and we are continually
amazed by the work they are doing," said Molly Langenstein, Chico's FAS President and
CEO.
Chico's FAS loyal customers also wanted to support rebuilding
efforts - and Chico's FAS made it easy for them to do so via their
loyalty program. To date, 3,663 loyal customers have donated 4.2
million loyalty points to the American Red Cross.
"The power of kindness is an unbeatable force during times of
crisis," added Langenstein. "As a company - and as a family - we
are ending the year with an immeasurable amount of gratitude and
look forward to coming out stronger than ever as we continue to
rebuild in the new year."
ABOUT CHICO'S FAS, INC.
Chico's FAS is a Florida-based
fashion company founded in 1983 on Sanibel Island, Fla. The Company
reinvented the fashion retail experience by creating fashion
communities anchored by service, which put the customer at the
center of everything we do. This iconic store, beloved by loyal
Chico's fans from around the country was destroyed in the storm,
but it will be rebuilt this Spring - 40 years from when it first
opened.
As one of the leading fashion retailers in North America, Chico's FAS is a company of
three unique brands – Chico's, White House Black Market and Soma –
each thriving in their own white space, founded by women, led by
women, providing solutions that millions of women say give them
confidence and joy.
Our Company has a passion for fashion, and each day, we provide
clothing, shoes and accessories, intimate apparel and expert
styling in our brick-and-mortar boutiques, digital online boutiques
and through StyleConnect®, the Company's customized, branded,
digital styling tool that enables customers to conveniently shop
wherever, whenever and however they prefer.
As of July 30, 2022, the Company
operated 1,258 stores in the U.S. and sold merchandise through 58
international franchise locations in Mexico and 2 domestic franchise airport
locations. The Company's merchandise is also available at
www.chicos.com, www.chicosofftherack.com, www.whbm.com and
www.soma.com.
To learn more about Chico's FAS, please visit our corporate
website at www.chicosfas.com. The information on our corporate
website is not, and shall not be deemed to be, a part of this press
release or incorporated into our federal securities law
filings.
Press Contact:
Alyssa Bleakley
ableakley@sequel-inc.com
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SOURCE Chico’s FAS, Inc.