Vera Bradley Donates $136,000 to Blessings in a Backpack on Giving Tuesday

Vera Bradley, a leading American bag and luggage company and iconic lifestyle brand, presented a donation of $136,000 to Blessings in a Backpack on Giving Tuesday.

Funds for this donation were raised through Vera Bradley’s back-to-school campaign to raise awareness for Blessings in a Backpack and its mission to end childhood hunger on the weekends. Vera Bradley invited customers to support the cause by making donations in its stores and on verabradley.com. Customers received a free Vera Bradley Mini Backpack Keychain with a minimum $10 donation. Vera Bradley’s in-store and online customer donations totaled $86,000. Vera Bradley then donated an additional $50,000.

“Philanthropy and connecting to the communities we serve are at the core of Vera Bradley’s culture, as is the belief that when we work together, we win,” Robert Wallstrom, chief executive officer of Vera Bradley, said. “We are proud to partner with this great organization to eradicate childhood hunger, and this Giving Tuesday, we’re happy to support Blessings in a Backpack in an even bigger way thanks to the generosity and compassion of our customers.”

Through Blessings in a Backpack, Vera Bradley also donated 50,000 backpacks to children in need throughout the United States during the 2019 back-to-school season. The Company hosted and supported backpack packing events, school carnivals and distribution events in eight different markets. Celebrity event appearances throughout the campaign included Grammy and Oscar-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, former NBA player and philanthropist Shaquille O’Neal, global superstar and philanthropist Jason Derulo, principal dancer of the American Ballet Theatre Misty Copeland, racing legend and NBC Sports motorsports analyst Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his wife Amy, singer and songwriter Jordan Davis, singer and songwriter Lauren Alaina, and actor Bailee Madison.

“There are 13 million children in this country who are at risk of being affected by hunger. Right now, we serve more than 87,000,” Brooke Wiseman, chief executive officer of Blessings in a Backpack, said. “For the second consecutive year in a row, Vera Bradley has helped to feed thousands of children while showing that the pattern of kindness never goes out of style.”

To find out how you can support Blessings in a Backpack, visit verabradley.com/blessings.