DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--It’s an entrepreneurial Cinderella story -- a young girl’s incredible journey from a very difficult place in her own life, to the shelves of the world’s largest retailer. And it’s happening to Jordan Phillips of Athens, Ohio.
In 2015, Jordan was just 11 when her mother, Nicole, was diagnosed with breast cancer, and like many children of parents with cancer, Jordan pitched in. She helped with her brothers, took on extra chores, and did what she could to help her mother through the physical trials of cancer treatment.
Still, she wanted to do more. So, she pulled out the sewing machine that Santa brought when she was 5, gathered up some leftover fabric, and began stitching fabric coffee cup holders. In just that first year, Jordan sewed several hundred cozys, raising more than $5,700 to benefit the breast cancer organization and ultimately became the Founder of Cozys For The Cure, LLC. The following year she continued her fundraising efforts and brought her total donation to nearly $18,000.
Her story caught the attention of Komen staff members in Dallas, who invited Jordan to tell her story to a meeting of Komen’s national partners in 2016. It was there that she and Nicole met John Allenberg and Olivia Greenberg of Greensource, a Seattle-based apparel manufacturer who is also a Walmart vendor and Komen national partner. Allenberg immediately saw the potential to bring scale to Jordan’s project.
“The moment we heard Jordan speak, we knew we had to help this incredible young woman make an even bigger difference for people suffering from breast cancer,” said John Allenberg President of Greensource.
He went back to Seattle, arranged a conference call with Jordan’s family, set production in motion and arranged for Greensource, Jordan and her family to meet with Walmart buyers at their headquarters. Walmart agreed to stock more than 200,000 cozys in nearly 1,550 of their U.S. stores, at $1.97 each. Greensource and Cozys For The Cure are donating 35 cents of each cozy sold to Susan G. Komen.
“Jordan’s story is extraordinary and we’re excited to bring a new and unique product to our shelves that can make an impact on the mission to end breast cancer,” said Becky Blake, Senior Buyer, Walmart.
Jordan is now 13 and for her and her family it’s all been a dream. “This opportunity has been so surreal to me – I never thought the simple act of making these cozys would go this far,” she said. “Ultimately what I hope to accomplish is to cure breast cancer forever.”
“This tremendous story reminds me that when love, commitment to a cause and creativity come together, magic happens. Susan G. Komen’s community and partners share our vision of a world without breast cancer, and recognize that it will only be achieved if we work together,” said Ellen Willmott, Interim President and CEO of Susan G. Komen. “I’m so pleased that Susan G. Komen played a role in making this happen for Jordan and the women and men we serve.”
To locate the nearest Walmart store, visit www.walmart.com. To learn more about Jordan’s story, visit www.komen.org/TheList/.
About Susan G. Komen
Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit outside of the federal government while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Komen has set a Bold Goal to reduce the current number of breast cancer deaths by 50 percent in the U.S. by 2026. Since its founding in 1982, Komen has funded more than $920 million in research and provided more than $2 billion in funding to screening, education, treatment and psychosocial support programs serving millions of people in more than 30 countries worldwide. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. That promise has become Komen’s promise to all people facing breast cancer. Visit komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN. Connect with us on social at ww5.komen.org/social.
