The Running Industry Association (RIA) will defer member dues for all new retailers and offer current members an option to defer until January 2021 as well. The move is part of the RIA’s “Keep You Running” initiative that is designed to help retailers survive the mandated closures and economic downturn associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Terry Schalow, executive director of the RIA, says RIA’s discounted freight program, which can save retailers 35 percent on shipping annually, is especially critical as stores are shipping products direct to consumers via e-commerce platforms or phone sales.

“This is the least we can do to support the channel during such a difficult time,” he said in a release. “All of our efforts are aimed at retail survival, including a COVID-19 Resource Guide that is available to the channel regardless of if they are a member.” View the RIA COVID-19 Resource Guide here: https://runningindustry.org/resources. More information on membership is available at www.RunningIndustry.org/membership.

‍OS1st has launched “Not All Heroes Wear Capes,” a buy-one-give-one campaign that donates a pair of superhero-themed medical grade calf compression sleeves to essential workers with a qualifying purchase on the brand’s website. ‍

ASICS is partnering with local retailers to support efforts in their communities, including shoe donations to healthcare workers or screen printing for fundraising efforts. The brand is also increasing its ASICS Medical Professional and First Responders Discount Program to 60 percent (from 40 percent) off full-priced items online.

Boston-based Sperry, a division of Rockford, MI-based Wolverine Worldwide, is celebrating the people fighting COVID-19 with its new “Everyday Heroes” social media campaign. Each day, the brand will highlight local people working to support their community and will encourage their follows to donate to their causes — and will contribute up top $1200 to each cause.

‍Adidas and Reebok are supporting the World Health Organization’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund by making a $2 donation for most purchases made through the Adidas app, and on adidas.com and reebok.com. The donation is on top of the 3 million euro donation the company has already made to the WHO and others.

Hosiery brand SockGuy has launched a Healthcare collection of sock designs that aim to not only honor healthcare workers, but also to provide them with compression socks that they can wear during long shifts. For every pair of socks purchased, SockGuy will donate a pair to the healthcare frontlines. SockGuy is currently sending socks to UC Davis Medical School, Scripps Hospital in San Diego and will include more healthcare organizations over the next few weeks.

‍Lubrizol has partnered with Nike to donate PPE to hospitals in need across the U.S. The brand donated Estane TPU polymers used in Nike’s efforts to manufacture full-face shields and powered air purifying respirator lenses. The PPE made with the materials has been shipped to hospitals and health systems in states including Oregon and Cleveland, near Lubrizol’s world headquarters.

‍Athletic Propulsion Labs has developed a made-in-the-USA face shield that it will donate to medical and frontline workers at facilities including Keck Hospital of USC, the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and Erewhon Markets. It will also be including an APL Personal Protection Shield with each shoe purchased through the APL website while supplies last.

Trade show Liberty Fashion Lifestyle Fairs has raised almost $25,000 to send 2,500 hot meals to the doctors and healthcare workers fighting coronavirus at New York hospitals — and to support local restaurants, including Greedi Kitchen, Robertas, Field Trip and Ho Foods, during the shutdown. Find the GoFundMe here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/liberty-fashion-amp-lifestyle-fairs-cares