The Brands Giving Back In Response To Covid-19 (updated)

The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has sent shockwaves through industries across the globe, shuttering businesses and forcing others to pivot at lightning speed, in order to survive.

But despite the uncertainty and hardship facing companies big and small, some are looking beyond their own businesses needs to launch initiatives that help fight the spread of the virus and support local communities.

From aiding hard-working healthcare workers to creating and manufacturing much-needed products, here are just some of the (many) wellness brands giving back during this crisis…

BULK POWDERS
Active nutrition company Bulk Powders has donated 20,000 units of products to 14 hospitals around the UK to help feed and fuel staff.

EVIAN
Mineral water brand evian is supporting the response to COVID-19 with a financial donation to the Red Cross to support urgent needs and supplies.

In the UK, the donation will be used to reduce the pressure on the NHS by helping patients get home from hospital, ensuring they have enough food and providing welfare packs to those having to self-isolate. In the US, the donation will be used to support vital work in collecting blood products. In France, the donation will be used to purchase 60,000 masks for volunteers – who have faced huge shortages in the protective equipment available.

NO1 FOOD PREP
No1 Food Prep, a sister company of fitness retreats brand No1 Bootcamp, is delivering a freshly cooked meal to an elderly person, for every order placed.
INESSA
Supplement brand Inessa is donating a percentage of its sales to provide meals for NHS staff in Britain.

RSP NUTRITION
RSP is supporting COVID-19 efforts and World Health Day on April 7th by donating 100% of proceeds from sales made that day to the American Red Cross. World Health Day 2020 celebrates the crucial work of nurses and midwives as they play a critical role, being at the forefront of COVID-19 response.

FRAME
London-based fitness boutique Frame has launched a pay it forward scheme in which 50% of all account top-ups made during this time will go straight into a freelance fund to support its staff. In addition, it is offering NHS staff free access to its online content.

LEON
Healthy fast-food chain LEON is delivering free hot meals to NHS critical care workers in the UK. It has also set up a new online food delivery platform Feed Britain in response to the Covid-19 crisis, which has been designed to give people access to food, regenerate the food supply chain and support the NHS.

All of the profits from Feed Britain will be donated to #FeedNHS, its campaign to raise money to feed NHS staff on the frontline. Since its launch, it has already raised over £800,000.

PIP & NUT
Pip & Nut is calling on its community to join it in supporting those who need help the most with its ‘one from you, one from us’ initiative.  

With food banks under more pressure than ever, the brand has decided to donate a jar of peanut butter every time a customer does the same. 

KIND SNACKS
KIND Snacks is donating 300,000 of its bars to NHS sites across the country to support front line workers. In addition, it has set up a form for front line workers, food banks, warehouses and any organisations in between to apply for a KIND bar delivery. KIND says it wants to help in the best way it knows how by providing fuel to help NHS staff with their incredible work. 

MANOR
London-based fitness boutique MANOR is also supporting the NHS with free access to its new digital programme MANOR BLITZ — a structured 6-week bodyweight workout ⁣programme full of instructional videos, goals, tips and advice, designed to enhance physical and mental health.⁣⁣⁣

LUCY BEE
Coconut oil brand Lucy Bee has donated 30,000 natural soap bars to charities in need across the UK. 35 charities from emergency services, care homes, homeless shelters and food banks will receive the soap bars, helping to support those on the front line and the most vulnerable in the community.

BY SARAH
Organic, plant-based skincare brand BY SARAH is offering NHS workers a 50% discount on all its products, so they can enjoy self-care when they need it the most. 

It will also be hosting free live online masterclasses via Zoom, where co-founder Sarah Murrell will delve into topics such as how to balance stress-related acne or soothe sensitive skin, or how to incorporate facial massage to restore skin and quieten busy thoughts. 

⁣LULULEMON
Global athleisure brand lululemon has announced a $2M Ambassador Relief Fund to assist its ambassador studio owners who have been financially impacted during this time. The fund will provide basic operating cost coverage to sweat businesses that have been affected by COVID-19.

PAI
Organic skincare brand Pai has rushed to create a hand sanitizer, which it says will be given away for free to its neighbouring schools, nurseries and charities.

“For the strong of health and heart, we will work together to bring support and comfort to the vulnerable,” founder Sarah Brown commented in an email to customers. 

“This is the time we will find strength and resilience we didn’t know we had in us,” she added.

 

LES MILLS
Les Mills has announced a raft of free digital workout solutions to support health clubs and schools worldwide, which have had to temporarily close.

 The group fitness giant is providing access to its LES MILLS On Demand (LMOD) digital fitness platform, so clubs, instructors and schools can support members and families with workout options to stay healthy and active.

 “Big challenges call for bold solutions, so we’re opening up LMOD to support our club partners and schools in keeping the world moving,” said Les Mills International CEO, Clive Ormerod.

GYMSHARK
Fast-growing athleisure brand Gymshark has created a fund to pay personal trainers at a time when their income is taking a hit. The startup is offering to pay PTs to run digital classes, which it will share with its millions of followers. 

The hope is that it will also enable PTs to gain exposure that can be leveraged once the COVID-19 crisis is over.

 

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FLOWSTATE
New startup Flowstate has set up an online wellness streaming platform, with all proceeds going to charities dedicated to helping vulnerable people at this time. 

A full schedule including daily yoga classes, self-care workshops and online wellness discussions, will give users access to great teachers and wellness professionals, whilst at-home.

“We are currently focused on fundraising for U.K. charities and setting up classes with teachers here but if successful will look at expansion further to different time zones in the future,” founder Ciara McEvoy told Welltodo.

NIKE
Nike is leveraging its global influence to encourage people to stay indoors and practise social distancing, to help curb the spread of COVID-19. 

The sportswear giant has created a new advertising campaign alongside agency Wieden + Kennedy, which reads: ‘If you ever dreamed of playing for millions around the world, now is your chance. Play inside, play for the world’.

Its athletes including LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo have been reposting the image on Instagram to millions of people across the globe.

SWEETGREEN
In an attempt to connect hospitals in the US with real food, healthy food chain Sweetgreen is dedicating its Outpost operations and teams to support those on the front lines by delivering free salads and bowls to hospitals in the cities it exists.

1REBEL
London-based fitness studio 1REBEL has offered the use of its London clubs to the NHS, which it said could be used to house 300-400 hospital beds

“There has been a significant amount of coverage in the media regarding the potential shortage of beds for those who are sick during this time. It is undeniable that the strain on the NHS is going to have a profound effect on everyone involved, and it is increasingly difficult to sit and watch the news, without doing what we can to help,” co-founder James Balfour told The Standard. 

THE HONEST COMPANY
Jessica Alba’s The Honest Company has committed to donating 3 million diapers, 30,000 packs of wipes and 20,000 personal care products this year – with 100,000 diapers and 100,000 wipes being immediately donated. The brand says the items will be distributed throughout family resource centres, homeless shelters, health clinics, and head start centres to families impacted by the outbreak. 

THERAGUN
Percussive therapy brand Theragun has provided over 100,000 meals to those in need, in partnership with Feeding America, and continues to work with the charity.

Whilst speaking at Welltodo’s Digital Founder Series, earlier this week, founder Dr Jason Wersland revealed that the brand had also been organising giving Theragun’s to hospital staff who are tirelessly battling the infection.

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Image: Theragun

MINDFUL CHEF
Healthy recipe box company Mindful Chef is offering NHS workers in the UK 30% off all of its boxes, as a way of saying thanks to all of their hard work.

EVERLANE
Sustainable fashion and activewear brand Everlane is also donating some of its sales to Feeding America. “All profits from our 100% Human collection will support @feedingamerica’s COVID-19 Response Fund to help provide supplies to food banks across the country, making sure that everyone — from students without lunch programs to seniors without access to groceries — has the food they need during this challenging time,” stated the brand in an Instagram post.

EVERYTABLE
LA-based social enterprise Everytable has set up a hotline for the elderly who need food brought to their homes and healthcare centres and schools where foodservice has been disrupted. 

The brand has also been delivering meals to temporary shelter sites across Los Angeles.

THE BODY SHOP
As a way of supporting and helping to take care of its local communities, The Body Shop has been dropping off care packages to local hospitals in the UK for NHS workers.