The Nike response was classy. I like the two for one support of local community efforts…
COVID-19 Community Response
March 18, 2020
In light of the unprecedented COVID-19 outbreak impacting our teammates, friends and family, we are coming together to support communities where our employees live and work. Nike’s leaders, the Nike Foundation and Nike are committing more than $15 million to COVID-19 response efforts.
NIKE, Inc. Chairman Emeritus and co-founder Phil Knight and wife Penny; NIKE, Inc. Executive Chairman of the Board Mark Parker and wife Kathy; and NIKE, Inc. President and CEO John Donahoe and wife Eileen, are personally donating a combined $10 million to the following: $1 million to the Oregon Food Bank, $2 million to the Oregon Community Recovery Fund created by the Oregon Community Foundation, and $7 million to Oregon Health & Science University to improve statewide care coordination in Oregon, increase patient access, and ramp up operational readiness for expanded diagnostic testing for COVID-19.
In addition, the Nike Foundation announced a $1 million donation to the global COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund, created by the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, to fund efforts by the World Health Organization and partners to support countries preparing for and responding to the COVID-19 crisis.
The Nike Foundation is also donating the following: $1 million to the Oregon Community Recovery Fund; $1.1 million to support community partners across Europe, Middle East and Africa through the King Baudouin Foundation; $250,000 to the Mid-South Food Bank in Memphis, Tenn.; $250,000 to the Community Foundation of Greater Memphis’ COVID-19 Regional Response Fund; and $500,000 to the Boston Foundation’s COVID-19 Response Fund.
These commitments come in addition to the 10 million RMB ($1.4 million) NIKE, Inc. donation to the China Youth Development Foundation announced earlier in January to help provide frontline workers with supplies and equipment to treat patients.
To further support communities where NIKE employees live and work, we will also support a two-to-one match for any donations to support COVID-19 responses locally, nationally and internationally.