In the wake of Hurricane Helen, Two Ten is responding to one of the largest natural disasters it has dealt with in years. The organization is proactively reaching out to employers with associates in the path of the storm, which impacted a wide swath of the country. Two Ten is diligently working its HR contact lists to make sure everyone who needs help knows they can submit and expedited application for assistance.
“The entire team is mobilized right now, doing outreach and processing relief applications,” confirms Shawn Osborne, President & CEO, Two Ten Footwear Foundation. After an active hurricane season, the organization has already responded to Hurricane Beryl in July in Hurricane Ernesto in August, awarding a half million dollars in disaster relief this fiscal year.
“Based on the volume of requests we have coming in now, in the wake of Hurricane Helene, I think we could be looking at a disaster response much bigger than Beryl and Ernesto combined,” he adds. “This could amount to more than twice as much in emergency financial assistance being distributed directly to footwear employees though disaster relief grants for Helene. Of course, this is the reason Two Ten exists, to be there for footwear families in hard times, but it’s still a pretty daunting prospect. We have terrific donors and corporate partners supporting our mission but we’re a relatively small charitable foundation so this kind of disaster is an all-hands-on-deck scenario.”
Immediately after the storm, Two Ten received around 100 requests for help, and they just keep streaming in. Thankfully, a number of corporate partners have already stepped up to support their footwear colleagues through Two Ten, making additional gifts on top of their regular annual contributions.
Hurricane Helene: Give and Get Help With Two Ten
- For footwear employees impacted by the storm, help is available. Read more here.
- For industry members looking to support their footwear colleagues by making a gift to Two Ten’s Disaster & Crisis Relief Fund, read more here.
“Of course, this is the reason Two Ten exists, to be there for footwear families in hard times, but it’s still a pretty daunting prospect. We have terrific donors and corporate partners supporting our mission but we’re a relatively small charitable foundation so this kind of disaster is an all-hands-on-deck scenario.” — Shawn Osborne, President & CEO, Two Ten Footwear Foundation
