FIVE SIMPLE WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

VGAL

BACKGROUND:
With the holiday season upon us, many of us are not only thinking about gift-giving but we’re also looking at ways that we can give back. And Nordstrom is no exception. The retailer is on a mission to connect with local communities by providing basic needs for kids and their families. How can you get involved? Vanessa Bump, who is head of social impact at Nordstrom, suggests a number of things you can do to help those in need. And it may not require anything more than simply going shopping.

VANESSA’S TOP FIVE WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

  • Give back at check-out - One of the easiest ways to give back is to donate at checkout. This year, Nordstrom is partnering with Operation Warm and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality winter coats for children in need. They serve kids ages 3 to 13 and provide more than 300,000 coats annually to kids across North America. Over the past 23 years, Operation Warm has given over 3.5 million coats to children in need. 
  • Purchase a gift card that gives back - Year-round, Nordstrom donates 1% of all Gift Card sales to nonprofits in local communities. In 2021, the company donated nearly $11 million to hundreds of organizations, primarily focused on ensuring families can access necessities like housing, food, health care and education.
  • Shop your values with give-back brands- Customers can shop their values and find gifts that give back through the Sustainable Style category and through Nordstrom Made brand Treasure & Bond. Treasure & Bond is the Nordstrom Made giveback brand, through which they donate 2.5% of net sales to organizations that work to empower youth. Last year, customer purchases of Treasure & Bond merchandise allowed Nordstrom to donate more than $2 million to these organizations.
  • Volunteer your time - There’s no better way to see the difference you can make than experiencing it firsthand. Kids in your community need Bigs like you to bring support and instill confidence as we all navigate this challenging time, so consider signing up to be a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Operation Warm always needs Community Impact Volunteers to join their mission through rewarding, hands-on volunteer opportunities at coat and shoe gifting events in your area. There are also virtual volunteer opportunities available.
  • Donate to your local food pantry – Food insecurity is something many Americas face daily. The simple act of donating some non-perishable items to your local food pantry could ensure that your neighbors in need can enjoy a delicious holiday meal.

For more information visit: www.nordstrom.com/givingtuesday and nordstromrack.com/bbbs

MORE ABOUT VANESSA BUMP:

Vanessa Bump serves as the head of social impact and corporate giving at Nordstrom. In her role, she is responsible for the development and implementation of strategies that bring Nordstrom’s corporate philanthropy commitments and goals to life through investing in equity and empowering the communities we serve to thrive. A positive, impact-driven changemaker, Vanessa believes in the power of connecting dots and people to make amazing things happen. She and her team work cross-functionally and collaboratively to create meaningful and impactful programming alongside our core nonprofit partners, including employee volunteerism, community engagement, employee giving and matching gift programs, community grantmaking, and corporate donations. Prior to joining Nordstrom, Vanessa worked at adidas. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is married with two children and lives in Oregon.

At Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE: JWN), we exist to help our customers feel good and look their best. Since starting as a shoe store in 1901, how to best serve customers has been at the center of every decision we make. This heritage of service is the foundation we're building on as we provide convenience and true connection for our customers. Our digital-first platform enables us to serve customers when, where and how they want to shop – whether that's in-store at more than 350 Nordstrom, Nordstrom Local and Nordstrom Rack locations or digitally through our Nordstrom and Rack apps and websites. Through it all, we remain committed to leaving the world better than we found it.

Interview provided by Nordstrom