DSW’s Parent Company Launches New Charitable Designer Brands Foundation

Designer Brands is placing a larger emphasis on philanthropy with the launch of a new foundation.

Called the Designer Brands Foundation, the DSW parent company is aiming to continue its commitment to serving others with a focus on three identified areas of impact: empowerment, inclusion and local communities. According to the company, the Designer Brands Foundation is primarily funded by DBI and customer donations and will focus on giving back to those communities where the company’s associates live and work.

Notable contributions have already been made through the foundation, the company said. This includes a $50,000 donation from the DSW Foundation, part of the larger Designer Brands Foundation, to Girls on the Run International, a nonprofit that aims to empower elementary and middle school aged girls with confidence, team building, personal independence and finding inner strength through physical activity and life skills lessons.

And, beginning in July, Designer Brands kicked off its Soles4Souls back-to-school campaign in DSW stores nationwide. With over $4 million donated to Soles4Souls through register and VIP rewards donations and DBI contributions since the partnership’s inception, and an additional $1 million commitment by the Designer Brands Foundation for 2024, this initiative aims to provide footwear to those in need.

What’s more, the Designer Brands Foundation is pledging $100,000 in community grants in its first year. The application is open now for eligible 501(c)(3) organizations.

“The launch of the Designer Brands Foundation represents a significant step forward in our mission to make a positive impact where it matters most and allows us to give back to causes important to our associates and our communities,” said Amy Jo Donohew, senior vice president of human resources at Designer Brands. “Philanthropic values have always existed within Designer Brands, but now through our foundation’s strategic initiatives, we aim to empower even more individuals and support our diverse communities, so that we can all create meaningful and lasting change.”

This launch comes one week after DSW launched its back-to-school campaign with Ashlee Simpson Ross, her husband Evan Ross, and their children.