Nike is teaming up with a nonprofit organization in the United States and local organizations around Europe to donate more than 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel, and equipment.
Air Zoom Pulse, which were released in November 2019, is the “first shoe designed for the healthcare worker athlete, an everyday hero,” Nike announced in a statement on Monday.
Nike will be providing 30,000 pairs of sneakers to healthcare workers across Chicago, Los Angeles, Memphis, and New York. Shoes will also be distributed within the Veteran Health Administration.
Partnering with nonprofit organization Good360, Nike will deliver 95,000 pairs of soccer socks that will offer mild compression for healthcare workers in New York and Los Angeles, which currently have the most cases and deaths from COVID-19.
“The effort is led by messages of gratitude to healthcare professionals,” Nike said in its release statement. “From one athlete to another, Nike athletes recognize the physical and mental resilience of healthcare athletes.”
Along with the 30,000 pairs, Nike will also be sending an additional 2,500 pairs of shoes to hospitals in Barcelona, Berlin, London, Milan, Paris, and Belgium. The company went to OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon, to study those in the profession. They took into account the challenges of those on the job — including long hours on their feet and liquid spills — and the comfort needed for long shifts. On Friday, the brand announced it was contributing $1.6 million to organizations for COVID-19 reliefs. Along with footwear, apparel, and equipment, Nike has donated more than $25 million dollars to relief efforts.
