LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Skechers Foundation announced that the organization has donated a record-breaking $2.5 million to children with special needs and education through funds raised at its latest Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk, an annual event that has raised close to $18 million to date for children. Supported by Presenting Sponsor Kinecta Federal Credit Union and more than 100 companies, the donations were distributed by Skechers executives to Foundation donation recipients, at Skechers’ retail store in Manhattan Beach, California on Thursday, March 3.
“We are a passionate organization who thrives to support children with special needs, public education and many more important causes,” said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers and co-founder of the Walk. “Our Friendship Walk has grown into one of the largest of its kind in the country, thanks to our presenting sponsor Kinecta Federal Credit Union and so many caring, generous individuals and corporations who stand with us to make a meaningful impact in the lives of so many. I am beyond grateful for the support of everyone involved.”
The Foundation presented $713,000 to the non-profit organization Friendship Foundation for children with special needs and their families, as well as more than $1.47 million in checks to six education foundations—contributions that help support critical staffing and educational programs such as music, foreign language, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs; distance learning support and education intervention; and counseling and mental health support.
“Our children with special needs are thriving at the Friendship Foundation, thanks to the Walk’s incredible support,” said Yossi Mintz, the organization’s co-founder. “Through donations, the event has had a direct impact—growing our clubs, events and in-person and online activities. Together with the Los Angeles region’s future Friendship Foundation campus for young adults with special needs, we’re transforming how our children will see the world and each other.”
In addition to breaking new donation records for children with special needs and public schools, the Skechers Foundation’s national scholarship program awarded more than $280,000—a new record for high school seniors. By year’s end, the organization will have donated $982,000 to talented and economically disadvantaged students to attend colleges across the country.
“As a financial institution, we understand how life-changing donations can be, especially to those in underserved communities,” added Keith Sultemeier, president and chief executive officer of Kinecta. “This event has a direct impact on more than 50,000 students’ academic and professional futures. It’s an event that we’re incredibly proud to support, and we look forward to helping even more children this fall as the Pier to Pier Friendship Walk’s presenting sponsor for the second year in a row.”
Historically California’s largest event for children with special needs and education, the Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk has grown to gather more than 16,000 annual registrants at the Manhattan Beach Pier every October in celebration of children. Celebrity supporters over the years have included guests and emcees such as Jimmy Kimmel, Brooke Burke, Denise Austin and NBC4 investigative reporter Lolita Lopez; athletic icons Sugar Ray Leonard, Tony Romo, Howie Long, Matt Kuchar, Brooke Henderson and baseball legend Tommy Lasorda; and numerous YouTubers, Nickelodeon and Disney network stars.
The Skechers Foundation’s college scholarship program offers scholarships to high school seniors based on financial need and achievements in academics, athletics and leadership. Administered by Scholarship America®, the application at www.SkechersFriendshipWalk.com will be available to all high school seniors in the United States in spring 2022.
The Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk thanks its Presenting Sponsor Kinecta Federal Credit Union as well as more than 100 other companies who have supported thousands of children, including The CET Foundation, McCarthy Construction, Steel Sports, Moose Toys, Ross Dress for Less, Petco Foundation, Vertra, Dakine, Bank of America, The MBS Group, KCI General Contractors, United Legwear & Apparel, Rare Beauty, Simplehuman, TJX Companies, Academy Sports, Continental Development, Chevron, Marshalls and WSS.
To learn more about the annual Skechers Pier to Pier Friendship Walk and watch the Walk’s latest virtual event, please visit skechersfriendshipwalk.com or YouTube, and follow the Walk on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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.
Skechers USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), The Comfort Technology Company™ based in Southern California, 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 180 countries and territories via department and specialty stores, and direct to consumers through 4,306 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; delays or disruptions in our supply chain; 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, 2021. 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.
