MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk continued the Skechers Foundation’s decade-plus annual tradition of gathering to support children with special needs and education, through a virtual event viewed by many across the country. The October 25 event raised over $1.8 million in funds, tipping the total since the first Walk in 2009 to an impressive $15 million. Celebrity youth and students across Southern California’s beach cities joined together to host the event, taking viewers through their personal journey during these unprecedented times. A star-studded lineup rallied behind the kids and the cause, including performances with America’s Got Talent winner Kodi Lee and appearances with celebrities and sport legends such as Tony Romo, Brooke Burke, Sugar Ray Leonard, Matt Kuchar, Brooke Henderson, Howie Long, Denise Austin, and many more.
“It feels so awesome to be back…Heck, yeah!” exclaimed Kodi Lee, headlining performer at the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Virtual Walk. Added Kodi’s mother, Tina Lee: “Though we’re celebrating from home, this year’s Walk felt even more special than the last. A pandemic could not keep our community from joining together to raise funds for thousands of children and celebrating with Kodi. Everyone’s support for kids with special needs has touched our hearts, and Kodi loves how his performances bring joy to so many, especially in these uncertain times. It’s an event we’ll never forget.”
“Though 2020 has presented its fair share of obstacles, canceling our Walk was not an option,” said Michael Greenberg, co-founder of the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk. “This year, our typical 3.5-mile event was shared with communities across the South Bay and beyond – and our celebration will continue to live online year-round for the world to watch and give. Thanks to our all-star roster of celebrities and athletes, the continued support of many of our regular sponsors, and the generosity of thousands of families, we’re able to make a difference when it’s needed most.”
“When COVID struck, we realized that offerings in the Friendship Foundation were going to drastically change, and our kids with special needs were going to be the most impacted by reduced or limited services,” said Yossi Mintz, executive director of The Friendship Foundation. “Many of these kids did not understand what was happening, or why their daily routines were halted overnight. Thanks to the support of the Skechers Foundation and funds raised by the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, we were able to quickly adapt and create a roster of virtual programs for Friendship Foundation families to utilize and remain connected from home. These ambitious changes have helped many get through these unusual times.”
Historically California’s largest event for children with special needs and education, the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has raised more than $15 million to date for public schools, scholarships and the Friendship Foundation. More than 17,000 registrants participate in the event annually, many of whom have celebrated virtually from home and walked through their neighborhoods in tribute.
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks its headlining media sponsor NBC4, as well as more than 100 other companies who have supported our children including Gelson’s, United Legwear & Apparel, The CET Foundation, Moose Toys, Kinecta Federal Credit Union, Petco Foundation, Steel Sports, Vertra, Chevron, McCarthy Construction, Dakine, Aptos Retail, CAA-GBG, Continental Development, Mattel, Marshalls, WSS, O’Melveny, Halo Life, Ross Dress for Less, Off Broadway Shoe Warehouse, Suntech, Caskey & Caskey and Associates, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Stroyke Properties.
To watch the stream of this year’s Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk virtual presentation and learn more about the event, please visit skechersfriendshipwalk.com or YouTube, and follow the Walk on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About Skechers Foundation
The Skechers Foundation was established to provide families around the world with the necessities and skills to succeed in life. In addition to organizing the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, the Skechers Foundation funds tax-exempt, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations that provide education and job training, shoes, clothing, fitness and nutrition guidance to communities in need.
About Skechers USA, Inc.
Based in Manhattan Beach, California, Skechers (NYSE: SKX) designs, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel and accessories for men, women and children. The Company’s collections are available in the United States and over 170 countries and territories via department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through 3,615 Company- and third-party-owned retail stores and e-commerce websites. The Company manages its international business through a network of global distributors, joint venture partners in Asia, Israel and Mexico, and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada, Japan, India, Europe and Latin America. For more information, please visit about.skechers.com and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok.
This announcement contains forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, Skechers’ future domestic and international growth, financial results and operations including expected net sales and earnings, its development of new products, future demand for its products, its planned domestic and international expansion, opening of new stores and additional expenditures, and advertising and marketing initiatives. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking language such as “believe,” “anticipate,” “expect,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “project,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will result,” “could,” “may,” “might,” or any variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include the disruption of business and operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic; international economic, political and market conditions including the challenging consumer retail markets in the United States; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory levels; losing any significant customers; decreased demand by industry retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products; maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of footwear for consumers, especially in the highly competitive performance footwear market; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors referenced or incorporated by reference in Skechers’ annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and its quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended June 30, 2020. More specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has had and is currently having a significant impact on Skechers’ business, financial conditions, cash flow and results of operations. Forward-looking statements with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic include, without limitation, Skechers’ plans in response to this pandemic. At this time, there is significant uncertainty about the COVID-19 pandemic, including without limitation, (i) the duration and extent of the impact of the pandemic, (ii) governmental responses to the pandemic, including how such responses could impact Skechers’ business and operations, as well as the operations of its factories and other business partners, (iii) the effectiveness of Skechers’ actions taken in response to these risks, and (iv) Skechers’ ability to effectively and timely adjust its plans in response to the rapidly changing retail and economic environment. Taking these and other risk factors associated with the COVID-19 pandemic into consideration, the dynamic nature of these circumstances means that what is stated in this press release could change at any time, and as a result, actual results could differ materially from those contemplated by such forward-looking statements. The risks included here are not exhaustive. Skechers operates in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from time to time and we cannot predict all such risk factors, nor can we assess the impact of all such risk factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results should not be considered an indication of future performance.
