Starting today Keen will be donating 10 percent of all KEENfootwear.com and Keen Garage sales to Australia bushfire relief. The fundraiser will run through Jan. 21, 2020 and will be focused on providing volunteer firefighting brigades in New South Wales advanced equipment and gear needed to battle the blazes. Keen will also get boots on the ground by donating more than 3,000 pairs of work boots to firefighters throughout the region, many of whom are volunteers. Beyond financial and product support, Keen employees are also sewing ‘marsupial pouches’ to comfort injured and displaced animals for wildlife rescue organizations in Australia.
“As a values-led organization dedicated to conservation, supporting communities impacted by natural disasters has been part of our DNA from the beginning,” states Chris Enlow, senior director of Keen Effect. “Our hearts go out to the people and wildlife effected by these devastating fires and we hope our actions will inspire others to help.”
Keen is joined by its Australian distribution partner, Phoenix Leisure Group (PLG), and Portland-based gDiapers in donating 10 percent of their sales during this fundraiser. PLG is supplying the boots and distributing those items in the region with gDiapers. To date, the fires have claimed 25 human lives and burned 17.9 million acres. Ecologists with the University of Sydney estimate half a billion birds, reptiles and mammals have been impacted—millions of animals are feared dead.
“When a tragedy like this is so far away but truly hits home for many of our employees, we’re continually impressed about how we can come together as a company and contribute in meaningful ways,” Enlow says.
Taking action has been part of Keen since its inception, donating $1 million to the Indonesian Tsunami relief efforts in 2004. Since that time, Keen has donated more than $19 million to nonprofit organizations and causes around the world through disaster relief, shoe donations and grants.
Keen will donate boots to firefighters, many of who are volunteers, battling the blazes.
