Lady LUX

In a culture with a love for fashion, one company is turning that love into something good for the less fortunate by giving back through fashion. Fashion Delivers Charitable Foundation, Inc. helps community charities and survivors of natural disasters across the United States and throughout the world rebuild their lives through product donations from manufacturers and clothing retailers. Fashion Delivers mobilizes the fashion community to reach out and affect the world through its donations.

Since 2005, Fashion Delivers has distributed more than $150 million of product to those in need. Its mission is to unify the men’s and women’s apparel and home industries to donate new product throughout the entire year to aid victims of disasters and other individuals facing serious problems. The organization matches need with its availability of goods, which comes from both wholesale and retail fashion industry vendors, including some of the biggest names in the fashion and home industries. Fashion Delivers provides these donations to a network of hundreds of local nonprofit agencies that distribute items quickly and directly to those who need them most. Although based in New York City, it works with distribution partners worldwide.

Fashion Delivers was founded when Hurricane Katrina and Rita hit in 2005.

“Thirty fashion industry leaders came together to help the victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita; over $4.5 million worth of product was collected and channeled directly to survivors suffering from the devastation … Along the way, we have continued to help as disasters arose and the fashion community met the challenges to help those in need. In 2010, we facilitated donations of more than $37 million in products from over 375 donor companies to help the survivors of the earthquake in Haiti, and in 2011, we continued to aid relief efforts for the Japanese tsunami and tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires and flooding in the U.S.,” said Peter Paris, marketing director of Fashion Delivers.

Initially beginning as a disaster relief effort by the fashion industry, Fashion Delivers has transformed into an incredible charitable endeavor providing hope to the many in need. The charity gives companies with an excess of inventory an easy and efficient way of giving back to society, while cash donations help distribute the merchandise around the nonprofits. The charitable organization only accepts donations of brand new items because of the big impact they can bring to provide relief and dignity to those in need.

“Enhancing an individual’s quality of life with new clothes, shoes, accessories or home items helps renew pride and self-esteem,” said Paris.

All cash donations made to Fashion Delivers are used to cover a very low overhead price (2.5 percent), which includes the important costs of shipping the donated good to those in need. One dollar of donated cash helps to send $25 of new clothes or home furnishings.

Fashion Delivers’ efforts don’t just stop at helping survivors of natural disasters. They also help those struggling with poverty, in the military, those re-entering into the work force, those affected by domestic abuse and those enduring or recovering from major illnesses.

“Poverty now hits nearly one out of every six Americans as long-term unemployment has left millions of people struggling and out of work. Besides helping the poor, Fashion Delivers works with agencies assisting people recovering from violence, addiction and other illnesses. For many of these people, every day can be like a natural disaster,” Paris said.

The Fashion Delivers Board of Directors and the Leadership Board represent a wide range of professionals in the fashion community who are all committed to helping others in need. Some well-known brands with representatives on the boards include Coach, Lacoste, Sean John, Wal-Mart, Macy’s, Skechers and Aeropostale.

Fashion Delivers has multiple ongoing corporate programs, such as those with BOBS from Skechers, Charming Charlie and Burlington Coat Factory. Their partnerships also include the donations from a wide range of fashion companies. Today, there are approximately 320 companies from the manufacturing and retailing sectors that donate new products every year.

Fashion Delivers is holding some special upcoming events to promote and provide its fashion clothing services.

On April 6, the charity will hold its third annual Project Cinderella in Fort Meade, Md. Essentially a mass makeover of military women, the affair is a unique, one-day event that celebrates women in the military through a series of fun, interactive workshops. As well as being pampered, the women participate in a grand dress and jewelry boutique giveaway to help them embrace their own beauty.

On April 20, Fashion Delivers will meet the continued need of victims from Hurricane Sandy in Toms River, N.J., for Sandy: Stage 2 with a huge distribution of kids’ toys, shoes and home products.

The charity is always on call 24/7 to help the millions of people in need of apparel and home furnishings. It doesn’t take a natural disaster to need clothing and other home furnishing items, but it takes a lot to hold out until survivors get the help and clothing they need. Fashion Delivers literally delivers hope to people in need while continuing to turn product into charitable donations.

To learn more about Fashion Delivers and to make a cash donation in the spirit of fashion, visit www.FashionDelivers.org.

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