In March 2018, by giving their time and money, our enthusiastic colleagues helped Macy’s, Inc. and our customers raise more than the equivalent of $3.5 million for local food banks, emergency food assistance programs and summer meals for children who typically rely on school meal programs. Colleagues volunteered nearly 23,000 hours as they raised funds through imaginative events such as good-natured competitions and “fashion shows for food”  and teamed up to deliver to homebound seniors,  and make and serve meals.

When our communities are hurting, Macy’s shows up. In 2018, Macy’s responded to 13 disasters and supported two long-term disaster relief efforts, helping people recover from floods, fires, hurricanes and shootings. Guided by our new disaster relief toolkit, we are now better able to respond quickly and consistently when trouble strikes. With creativity and compassion, our stores team up with local organizations to find the best way to respond to each situation.

In 2018, we introduced The Big Give Back as a new month long colleague fundraising and volunteer movement to raise funds for the North Star Relief Fund, United Way or other local 501(c)(3) charity. The campaign enabled colleagues to meet needs in their own communities in a variety of ways, from packing backpacks and collecting school supplies to donating blood and leading a coding camp. We invited customers to join us by rounding up their purchase to the nearest dollar to support their store’s chosen local charity. The total campaign giving from our colleagues and customers, alongside Macy’s, Inc. contributions, topped $7.3 million.

Through volunteerism, we also build connections that reach beyond the walls of our stores – connections between our customers, our colleagues and our communities. This is best demonstrated through our Partners in Time colleague volunteerism program, which extends  to virtually every one of our locations. Since Partners in Time began in 1989, our colleagues have given approximately  3 million hours of community service to thousands of charities in local communities. Our charity partners equate that to a value of more than $58 million.

Macy’s customers brought the magic to our 11th annual Believe campaign benefitting the Make-A-Wish® Foundation, which grants wishes to children with critical illnesses. Macy’s donated $1 to Make-A-Wish for each letter to Santa placed in the store’s red letterboxes or sent on macys.com/believe, up to $1 million. The high point of our annual Believe campaign came on National Believe Day, when Macy’s doubled our $1 donation for each letter collected, up to an extra $1 million. On National Believe Day, Macy’s also helped grant wishes to 25 critically ill children in 25 cities across the country.

For the past six years, we have invited customers to shop for a cause during our three-day “Buy a Coat and We’ll Donate One” campaign in November. Through our partnership with Clothes4Souls and participating brands, we provided warmth, hope and dignity to 35,000 men, women and children in need in 2018. Our colleagues worked with Clothes4Souls to distribute the coats in 25 communities near Macy’s stores and corporate office locations.

Partners for nearly 20 years, the March of Dimes and Macy’s share a common belief that all moms and babies – regardless of age, race, geography, income or socioeconomic background – deserve the best possible and healthiest beginnings. Unfortunately, health inequities and disparities in our communities are far too commonplace; together, we are working to change that.

When colleagues are struggling, our people now have a formal way to help each other. In July 2018, we created the North Star Relief Fund, a 501(c)(3) charity exclusive to Macy’s that supports our colleagues in need through rapid, direct financial assistance. This covers impacts from natural disasters, domestic violence, deaths in the immediate family and other significant life challenges.  This fund was seeded with a $2 million grant from Macy’s, Inc. and is augmented through generous colleague giving.