TWO TEN FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION INC
1466 MAIN STREET, WALTHAM, MA 02451 www.twoten.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, NAMELY THE COORDINATION OF NECESSARY FINANCIAL, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL AND COUNSELING SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED OR FORMERLY EMPLOYED IN THE SHOE INDUSTRY OR THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEMBERS OF SUCH PERSONS.

HUMAN SERVICE EXPENSE:TWO TEN CHANGES THE LIVES OF FOOTWEAR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES DURING TIMES OF IMMEDIATE CRISIS BY PROVIDING EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO COVER HOUSING COSTS, UTILITY BILLS, CAR REPAIRS AND OTHER IMMEDIATE NEEDS; NATURAL DISASTER RELIEF; REFERRALS TO SPECIAL SERVICES SUCH AS CRISIS INTERVENTION, CREDIT AND DEBT COUNSELING, AND OTHER SIMILAR LIFE SKILLS SERVICES; AND IMPORTANT COMMUNITY RESOURCES. FUNDS ARE PAID DIRECTLY TO CREDITORS EXCEPT IN A SMALL NUMBER OF CASES WHEN GRANTS BETWEEN $500-$1000 ARE GIVEN TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS IN CRISIS WHO ARE DOCUMENTED TO HAVE BEEN DISPLACED OR IMPACTED BY SAID DISASTER. THE MONIES PROVIDED HELP INDIVIDUALS GET THROUGH THEIR CRISIS AND PROVIDE FINANCIAL AS WELL AS EMOTIONAL RELIEF UNTIL THEIR LIVES BECOME STABLE AGAIN. THE BILLS THAT TWO TEN PAYS MEET THE MOST BASIC NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN ORDER TO SURVIVE AND HOLD DOWN A JOB.THE POPULATIONS OF FOOTWEAR FAMILIES WE SERVE ARE EMPLOYED PREDOMINATELY (BUT NOT EXCLUSIVELY) IN RETAIL SALES, CUSTOMER SERVICE, FACTORY WORKERS, WAREHOUSE OPERATIVES, AND DISTRIBUTION CENTER ROLES. THESE JOBS ARE LOW WAGE EARNING POSITIONS AND THOSE WORKING IN THEM ARE VULNERABLE TO LOSS OF INCOME AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR WHEN BUSINESS SLOWS OR ORDERS IN A FACTORY OR WAREHOUSE DECREASE. TWO TEN PROVIDES RESOURCES FOR FOOTWEAR EMPLOYEES FROM 50 STATES AS WELL AS PUERTO RICO AND THE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS. IN FY20 THE TOP FIVE STATES SEEKING TWO TEN'S SERVICES WERE TENNESSEE, TEXAS, FLORIDA, NEW YORK AND CALIFORNIA. IN FY20, THE TWO TEN SOCIAL SERVICES TEAM ASSISTED 4,907 FOOTWEAR FAMILIES WITH EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. TWO TEN RECEIVED CALLS FROM A TOTAL OF 7,638 FOOTWEAR WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND 99% OF THOSE WORKERS RECEIVED A CALL BACK WITHIN TWO BUSINESS DAYS TO COMPLETE OUR INTAKE PROCESS. THE PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL 30 MINUTE INTAKE CALL DETERMINES ELIGIBILITY AND HOW BEST TO MEET IMMEDIATE NEEDS. IN FY20, 67% OF CALLERS WERE FEMALE AND 33% OF CALLERS WERE MALE. THE THREE LARGEST AGE GROUPS WHO CALLED WERE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 25-34 (35%), BETWEEN THE AGES OF 18-24 (20%), AND 19% OF CALLERS FELL BETWEEN THE AGES OF 35-42. THE REASON MOST CITED BY THOSE NEEDING ASSISTANCE WAS COVID-19, FOLLOWED BY "FINANCIAL ISSUES". "HEALTH AND "EMPLOYMENT ISSUES."IN FY20, TWO TEN PROVIDED FUNDS TO PAY THE RENT OR MORTGAGE OF 807 FAMILIES TO PREVENT EVICTION OR FORECLOSURE. WE ASSISTED 486 FAMILIES WITH EMERGENCY UTILITY SUPPORT, AND AUTO PAYMENTS, AUTO REPAIRS OR AUTO INSURANCE FOR 567 FAMILIES SO THEY COULD CONTINUE TO USE THEIR CAR TO GET TO WORK. TWO TEN ALSO HELPED WITH 3,732 CRISIS CASES, PRIMARILY FOR COVID-19, THAT INCLUDES $3,000 IN FUNERAL BILLS AND EMERGENCY COSTS WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL WAS DISPLACED DUE TO A FIRE, FLOOD AND NATURAL OR COMMUNITY DISASTER. IN FY20, TWO TEN SERVED A TOTAL OF 4,907 FOOTWEAR EMPLOYEES WITH SPECIAL SERVICES, INCLUDING 2,045 REFERRALS TO EITHER OUR TELEPHONIC MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELING SERVICES OR WITH IN-HOUSE COUNSELING AND 10,998 REFERRALS TO LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES, SUCH AS UNITED WAY, RED CROSS AND SALVATION ARMY. EDUCATION EXPENSE AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY, TWO TEN FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION OFFERS AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO STRENGTHENING THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY, TWO TEN FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION OFFERS FOOTWEAR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR FAMILIES HIGHER EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIPS BASED ON FINANCIAL NEED, ACADEMIC ABILITY AND PERSONAL PROMISE. IN FY20, TWO TEN FUNDED 189 STUDENTS WITH SCHOLARSHIPS. 93% OF THE STUDENTS ARE FULL TIME STUDENTS, WHILE 7% OF THE STUDENTS ARE PART-TIME. SCHOLARSHIP FUNDS WERE AWARDED TO 185 RENEWAL SCHOLARS AND 4 NEW SCHOLARS. MOST STUDENTS RECEIVED AN AWARD BETWEEN $3,000 AND $5,000 WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO RENEW ANNUALLY, PROVIDED THAT THEY MAINTAIN A REQUIRED GPA OF AT LEAST 2.5. AS OF JULY 2020, ALL NEW SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS WILL AVERAGE $4,000 PER ANNUM, RENEWABLE FOR THREE YEARS. TWO TEN ALSO PROVIDES A SCHOLARSHIP FOR MILITARY VETERANS, CALLED THE FOOTWEAR WARRIORS ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP. THIS SCHOLARSHIP IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE SERVED OUR U.S. MILITARY AND ARE CURRENTLY WORKING IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY.WITH THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION SOARING, TWO TEN SCHOLARSHIPS HELP EASE THE BURDEN FOR THOSE FOOTWEAR FAMILIES SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO COLLEGE. TO BE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY AND BE CONSIDERED FOR A TWO TEN SCHOLARSHIP, THE APPLICANT MUST BE WORKING WITHIN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY FOR A MINIMUM OF TWO YEARS, OR THE CHILD OF A PARENT WORKING IN THE INDUSTRY FOR THE SAME DURATION. THE SCHOLARS WORKING IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY COMPRISED 36% OF THE TOTAL POOL, WHILE THE REMAINING 64% HAD PARENTS WORKING IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY. AS A NOTE, 50% OF NEW SCHOLARS' FAMILIES COULD NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR CHILD'S EDUCATION EXPENSES. TWO TEN ALSO OFFERS A SPECIALTY SCHOLARSHIP FOR THOSE PURSUING EDUCATION IN THE AREA OF FOOTWEAR DESIGN; THE FOOTWEAR DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP IS AVAILABLE TO ANY STUDENT WITHOUT EMPLOYMENT HISTORY IN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY. THIS SCHOLARSHIP WAS CREATED TO ENCOURAGE STUDENTS ENTERING THE FIELD WHO HAVE TALENT AND PROMISE IN FOOTWEAR DESIGN. APPLICANTS FOR THE FOOTWEAR DESIGN SCHOLARSHIP ARE REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THREE SAMPLES OF THEIR SKETCHES AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION IN ADDITIONAL TO COMPLETING OUR STANDARD ONLINE APPLICATION. THE APPLICATION ADMINISTRATION PROCESS IS OUTSOURCED TO THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP AND TUITION SERVICES (ISTS). AFTER ISTS PRESENTS THE COMPLETED APPLICATIONS, TWO TEN SCHOLARSHIP STAFF RANKS APPLICANTS USING A SCORING RUBRIC THAT IS WEIGHTED BY THE FOLLOWING SYSTEM: 70% FINANCIAL NEED, 15% ACADEMICS BASED ON GPA AND 15% ACADEMIC RESUME BASED ON EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. TWO TEN THEN SELECTS THE TOP STUDENTS FROM THE NEW POOL AND THOSE WHO MAINTAINED ELIGIBILITY FROM THE RENEWAL POOL UNTIL THE ENDOWMENT HAS BEEN SPENT.

COMMUNITY BUILDING (FORMERLY MEMBER AND EDUCATION):TWO TEN FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO BUILDING A STRONGER FOOTWEAR COMMUNITY BY OFFERING NATIONAL EDUCATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, DESIGNED TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH AND LEARN FROM FELLOW MEMBERS AND LEADERS OF THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY WHILE SUPPORTING TWO TEN. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVES, EACH OFFERING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES AND OUTCOMES BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL NEEDS OF ITS TARGETED CONSTITUENTS, INCLUDE WOMEN IN FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY (WIFI), HUMAN RESOURCES LEADERSHIP, AND FOOTWEAR CARES . WIFI, CONSISTING OF TEN CHAPTERS LOCATED IN TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC AREAS AND WITH 4,000 MEMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, FOCUSES ON INSPIRING, MENTORING, AND CONNECTING WOMEN AT ALL LEVELS OF THEIR CAREERS, AS WELL AS CREATING ADVOCATES FOR TWO TEN. GIVEN THE IMPACT OF COVID-19, THE VAST MAJORITY OF WIFI EVENTS WERE CANCELLED IN FY20.IN ADDITION TO THE EVENTS, WIFI MANAGES A SUCCESSFUL MENTORING PROGRAM. HOWEVER DO TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS IN FY20, THE MENTORING PROGRAM WAS PUT ON HOLD. THE HUMAN RESOURCES LEADERSHIP (HRL) GROUP CONNECTS HUMAN RESOURCES PROFESSIONALS WITHIN THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY FOR THOUGHT LEADERSHIP SPECIFIC TO HR, BUT ALSO TO CREATE ADVOCACY FOR TWO TEN AND ITS MISSION. HRL WORKS ON TWO TEN'S BEHALF TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE FOUNDATION WITHIN THEIR COMPANIES, TO ENSURE FOOTWEAR EMPLOYEES KNOW ABOUT TWO TEN'S SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. HRL ALSO WORKS TOGETHER TO REACH OTHER HR PROFESSIONALS TO EDUCATE AND ENGAGE THEM IN THE FOUNDATION'S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, SCHOLARSHIP OFFERINGS AND THE COMMUNITY GROUPS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF THE FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY.AS ONE OF TWO TEN'S FASTEST GROWING COMMUNITY-BUILDING EVENTS, FOOTWEAR CARES PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR INDUSTRY TO JOIN TOGETHER AS VOLUNTEERS TO IMPACT AND IMPROVE THE COMMUNITIES WHERE THEY LIVE AND WORK. IN FY20 OUR FOOTWEAR CARES INITIATIVES WERE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN COMMUNITY-BUILDING EVENTS DUE TO THE RESTRICTIONS FROM COVID-19.

INDUSTRY EDUCATION (FORMERLY LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT):THE TWO TEN FOOTWEAR FOUNDATION IS COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE HELP AND RESOURCES NEEDED TO IMPROVE THE LIVES AND CAREERS OF FOOTWEAR PROFESSIONALS. IN FY20, INDUSTRY EDUCATION - OR OUTREACH - WAS INCORPORATED INTO EVERY POSSIBLE ACTIVITY TO MAXIMIZE THE OUTCOMES; EVERY CORPORATE VISIT, INDUSTRY CONFERENCE, INDIVIDUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS FAIRS AND STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WAS UTILIZED TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF THE FOUNDATION'S OFFERINGS WITHIN THE INDUSTRY IT SERVES. TWO TEN ALSO USES A HIGHLY VISIBLE ANNUAL EVENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA TO AID IN BUILDING INCREASE AWARENESS OF, AND SUPPORT FOR THE FOUNDATION. .TWO TEN CANCELLED ITS ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA DURING FY20 DUE TO COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. SOCIAL MEDIA AND DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN RELEVANCE AND IMPORTANCE AS CRITICAL COMMUNICATION TOOLS, PROVIDING VIBRANT FORUMS TO REACH, ENGAGE AND EDUCATE THE FOOTWEAR COMMUNITY. TWO TEN'S CONTENT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT STRATEGY FOR ITS SOCIAL PROPERTIES DURING FY20 WAS FURTHER EXPANDED, WITH A DATABASE OF CLIENT STORIES PUSHED OUT THROUGH RELEVANT CHANNELS INCLUDING FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, LINKEDIN AND THE TWO TEN BLOG. THE FOUNDATION HAS SEEN AN UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS IT HAS ON MULTIPLE DIGITAL PROPERTIES AND NEW VISITORS TO ITS WEBSITE PLATFORM. APPLICATIONS FOR TWO TEN'S SCHOLARSHIP OFFERINGS, INTAKE CALLS AND ATTENDANCE AT COMMUNITY GROUP EVENTS HAVE GROWN AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT.

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