KEEN Footwear And Points Of Light Join To Fight Global Stress And Uncertainty Launching Largest Volunteer Resource Ahead Of Giving Tuesday

PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- KEEN, Inc. (KEEN), the global footwear brand committed to positive change through civic engagement and volunteering, today announced a partnership with Points of Light, a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. In advance of Giving Tuesday, KEEN fans will now have access to KEEN Corps, and the world's largest digital hub for volunteering and community engagement opportunities, powered by Points of Light. Fans can find more than 300,000 unique opportunities with more than 70,000 nonprofit organizations, schools, and other local agencies each year.

In a recent Harris Poll study, commissioned by KEEN Footwear, nearly 9 in 10 Americans (86%) feel helping others is a good way to reduce stress; nearly half of Americans (47%) say it is difficult to find volunteer opportunities near them; nearly three in five Americans (59%) plan to volunteer with charities/non-profits in the next 2 months; and among them, top reasons for doing so include wanting to give back during the holiday season (47%), to feel connected to a cause in their community (41%), and to feel a sense of purpose and certainty (41%).

To provide easier access to volunteer opportunities, KEEN is enabling anyone to search for local or national volunteer opportunities via KEEN Corps, the brand's loyalty program that rewards fans for doing good deeds. There are tens of thousands of volunteering opportunities every day.  Since its U.S. launch in September, KEEN Corps has grown to over 11,000 members and is experiencing 5% weekly growth. To date, over 6,600 volunteer hours have been logged by Corps members. 

"Our recent data confirms consumers are exhausted and are looking for ways to relieve stress and feel in control in these unpredictable times," said Erik Burbank, vice president, The KEEN Effect. "Volunteering in our communities has the dual benefit of giving back and leaving us feeling more fulfilled, empowered, and happy. On Giving Tuesday (Nov. 30th) the greatest gift we can give is our time." 

"Now more than ever, people are looking for ways to use their voice, time, talents and passion to make sustainable changes within their communities," said Natalye Paquin, Points of Light president and CEO. "KEEN Corps is a unique and inspiring program that promotes engagement through volunteerism, donating to local organizations and rewards individuals for their community building efforts. We are proud to be part of KEEN's movement to get people involved in high-impact and personally-fulfilling actions for social good in their communities, and we look forward to seeing the success of their efforts across the U.S. and the globe."

As part of KEEN Corps, KEEN's Giving Tuesday 10K Invitational encourages employees, fans, and partners to generate 10,000 hours of volunteering this December. In addition, KEEN will donate up to $100,000 and footwear to food banks across the country as part of its overall commitment to this program.  KEEN's U.S. employees receive 40 hours of paid community service and volunteer time.

"Civic engagement and community support has been in KEEN's DNA throughout its 18 years as a business," continued Burbank. "There is a growing movement of people making a difference and reaching out to do good. We're super excited to help more people get involved and are looking forward to launching KEEN Corps around the world in 2022."

About the KEEN/Harris Poll Survey: The survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of KEEN from November 11-15, 2021 among 2,013 U.S. adults ages 18 and older. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.  

About Points of Light: 

Points of Light is a nonpartisan, global nonprofit organization that inspires, equips and mobilizes millions of people to take action that changes the world. We envision a world in which every individual discovers the power to make a difference, creating healthy communities in vibrant, participatory societies. Through 177 affiliates across 38 countries, and in partnership with thousands of nonprofits and corporations, Points of Light engages 5 million volunteers in 16 million hours of service each year. We bring the power of people to bear where it's needed most. For more information, visit www.pointsoflight.org. 

About KEEN:

Driven by a passion to make the outside and trades accessible for all, KEEN is a values-led, family-owned footwear brand from Portland, Oregon committed to creating original and versatile products, enhancing lives, and inspiring adventures outside. Founded in 2003, it launched a revolution in the  footwear industry with the debut of the Newport adventure sandal. It continues to launch game-changing products and establish new standards for performance, comfort, and design while actively working to Detox The Planet. The brand formalized its values commitment under the banner of The KEEN Effect.  Learn more at www.keenfootwear.com.

SOURCE KEEN, Inc.