Another footwear company has stepped in with their resources to aid in the effort against COVID-19. Boston, Massachusetts-based OOFOS has donated over 3,000 pairs of sneakers to not only hospitals across their home state but across the nation.
The most recent donation came last Friday at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, Massachusetts where critical care and intermediate care staff were surprised with new sneakers.
“One of the nurses had been walking almost on her heels because her arches were too steep, so she immediately took off the shoes she had been wearing and put on the new shoes,” said Jessica Symonds, Senior Director of the South Shore Health Foundation.
“[Our staff] are so grateful and appreciative,” Symonds said. “We’ve had a great, wonderful outpouring of support, and OOFOS giving them a pair of shoes was an extra-special thing for them to have during their day-to-day.”
Staff at UMass Memorial Medical Center and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute also were also the beneficiaries of donated footwear.
According to the company, OOFOS markets their shoes as “recovery” footwear that help the wearer recover while on their feet by providing extra cushioning that absorbs impact, reducing stress on joints.
A company statement indicates the shoes are also built or materials that allow them to be washed between shifts by hospital staff.
Darren Brown, OOFOS’ head of marketing said this about the company’s charitable gestures:
“We wanted to donate shoes not only to medical professionals in our back yard of Boston, but also wanted to open this opportunity up to our field team, allowing them to reach out to their communities and show nurses that they are seen, supported and thanked for all they are doing,”
