Macerich Company Malls Host Shoe Drives for Orphans for Fourth Consecutive Year
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jul 29, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Back-to-school shopping is one of the most important retail shopping periods in America. It's the time of the year when parents and students pack malls across the country to gear up with supplies and the latest fashion trends for the new school year. For the past four years, Santa Monica, CA-based Macerich Company (NYSE: MAC) has been creating awareness for a special cause during this time of shopping frenzy, in an effort to help orphan children around the world. With this, they've encouraged shoppers to include one additional item to their shopping list: an extra pair of shoes for the Shoes for Orphan Souls shoe drive.
The nationwide shoe drive, which kicks-off August 1, is an initiative led by Dallas, TX-based Buckner Orphan Care International. Shoes for Orphan Souls collects shoes, socks and shoelaces and is part of the organization's humanitarian aid to orphan children, which also includes food, clothing and medicine. With the help of sponsors like Macerich Company, one of the nation's largest owners/operators of regional malls in the country, the program has been able to expand its aid from one country, to over 25 countries in just three short years.
"It has been very rewarding for us to see this program grow at such rate and to know that somehow we have been able to contribute to it," said Susan Valentine, senior vice president of marketing for Macerich Company. "We plan to continue supporting Shoes for Orphan Souls to assist Bucker in its effort to take this humanitarian outreach to other countries, helping more children in need."
For the past three years, Macerich has helped thousands of orphan children by encouraging shoppers to make donations while shopping during the back-to- school period. Macerich merchants have also embraced the program by providing shopper incentives, shoes and cash donations as well. In 2001 alone, the program collected over 500,000 pairs of shoes, along with thousands of socks, shoe laces and cash donations. The value of the aid for this year was estimated at over $9 million.
"We have been extremely fortunate to have a partner like Macerich to help build this initiative from the ground up," said Tiffany Taylor, director of Shoes for Orphan Souls. "They have generously donated space within their malls allowing us a platform to share our message, create awareness for the cause and trigger a significant growth rate."
Buckner Orphan Care International brings together the expertise and resources of individuals and organizations to offer a world of hope for disadvantaged children in other countries. "Shoes for Orphan Souls" is one of many projects the organization carries out each year. More information on the program can be found at www.shoesfororphansouls.com .
The Macerich Company, which has ownership interest in over 55 malls across the United States, is one of the nation's largest owners/operators of regional malls. Founded in 1965, Macerich is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "MAC". More information about Macerich is available at www.macerich.com .
SOURCE:
Macerich Company
CONTACT:
Milly Navarro, +1-972-788-4511, or mnavarro@lovellpr.com , for
Macerich Company; or Tiffany Taylor of Buckner Orphan Care International,
+1-214-758-8055, or ttaylor@buckner.org
URL:
http://www.shoesfororphansouls.com
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