COSTA MESA, Calif.,
Dec. 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Today,
Vans commemorates the inaugural #VansCheckerboardDay held on
November 21 and its more than
$1 million donation to
Imagination.org and announces the creation of the Vans
Checkerboard Fund, a global grant program that will provide
monetary support to qualified charitable organizations across the
globe that enable creative expression through Vans' core pillars of
action sports, art, music and street culture.
In observation of Vans Checkerboard Day on November 21, Vans closed its corporate
headquarters for the day to encourage employees to join Vans Fans
across the globe in celebrating and championing creativity in their
communities by wearing their iconic checkerboard patterns and
taking part in activities that focus on enabling creative
expression. The more than $1 million
donation to 2019 charity partner Imagination.org consisted of sales
made globally by Vans on November 21
and the proceeds from its Global Ambassador Charity Auction in partnership with eBay for
Charity, featuring custom one-of-a-kind designs from Vans
ambassadors.
The donation to Imagination.org will help form over 100 new
creativity chapters globally by October
2020 and strengthen its 150 current chapters, reaching over
20 countries and 10,000 kids around the world.
"As a brand engrained in youth culture, Vans Checkerboard Day
was much more than a corporate giving initiative. It was about
rallying our internal stakeholders, our extended Vans family and
our global consumers to make a difference in the lives of young
people worldwide by championing and celebrating the power of
creativity," said Doug Palladini,
Vans Global Brand President. "Our founder, Paul Van Doren, famously stated Vans is 'a
people company that just happens to make shoes.' That's why today
we are proud to create not only the Vans Checkerboard Fund to
further enable creative expression but we are also making the
commitment that at every brand activation, event or brand
sponsorship, the Vans Family who are present for the experience
will seek out a local community program to support through giveback
initiatives so that our brand makes an impact that goes beyond our
owned brand experience."
"With Vans' support, not only will we be able to support our
existing 200 Creativity Chapters with more training, tools and
resources, but we now have the opportunity to launch 100 entirely
new Chapters globally," said Nirvan
Mullick, who founded Imagination.org after his
2012 film Caine's Arcade went viral. "Over 10,000 kids will be
directly impacted by this donation, and we could not be more
grateful for Vans' partnership in inspiring the next generation to
express themselves creatively."
Since 2013, Vans has donated more than $6
million to creative charities globally, enabling creative
expression in communities around the world. Vans believes that
creativity is an essential part of being human and that
everyone should be able to express themselves through the unique
mediums that come from action sports, art, music and street
culture. Vans Checkerboard Fund will allow Vans to connect with
more organizations around the world that work to enable creativity
for our youth. Organizations can visit www.vans.com/checkerboardday
to learn more.
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 84 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 Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of
Surfing®, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom
Culture, and Vans' cultural hub and international music
venue, House of Vans.
Vans, "Off The Wall" Since '66
www.vans.com
youtube.com/vans
instagram.com/vans
facebook.com/vans
twitter.com/vans_66
About Imagination.org, Powered by Two Bit Circus
The
mission of Imagination.org, powered by Two Bit Circus Foundation a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is to find, foster and fund
creativity and entrepreneurship in children around the world in
order to raise a new generation of innovators and problem solvers
who have the tools they need to build the world they imagine.
Fueling a movement to help kids and communities foster creativity
through Creative Play, Imagination.org powered by Two Bit Circus
Foundation, aims to grow Creativity Chapters around the world.
Imagine a world where creativity and entrepreneurship are core
social values nurtured in schools, homes and communities
everywhere, where all children are taught to be creative thinkers
and doers, and encouraged to make their very best ideas happen.
Architected for maximum social impact, Two Bit Circus Foundation,
aims to cultivate the next generation of inventors, advance
environmental stewardship, and spur community engagement by
providing schools and youth of all means with access to hands-on
STEAM learning, modern maker tools, and upcycled materials.
www.imagination.org
instagram.com/imaginationfdn
facebook.com/imagination.org
twitter.com/imagination
www.twobitcircus.org
facebook.com/twobitcircusorg
twitter.com/twobitcircusorg
instagram.com/twobitcircusorg
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SOURCE Vans