SCENE & HEARD
Two Ten Introduces Opportunity Grants Program candidate with a mentor to see how a course EXORBITANT TUITION COSTS aside, not could help career advancement, followed by every industry employee can afford the time to a conversation, after completing the training, attend college full-time, or even part-time. Still, on how to best put their new skills to good many are interested in educational opportuniuse. The coaching commitment is virtual, ties that could advance their careers—if they self-paced and a minimum of three hours, had the funds to take such courses. including some orientation and training. Enter Two Ten Foundation’s new Opportunity “WIFI chapters are already stepping up, Grants program aimed at supporting employees wanting to sponsor grants for people in their who want to pursue skills-focused training, chapters,” Langone says. “They’re planning obtain certifications or complete other types online campaigns and fundraising events, of professional development to advance their like trivia nights and golf outings, to raise careers. The first wave of grants—amounts are funds.” Two Ten offers planning toolkits to expected to range from $500 to $2,500—will help organize such efforts. be awarded to female applicants, who happen Going forward, Langone says the Opportunity to have accounted for more than 70 percent Grants program will be offered through of the requests for emergency relief since the partnerships with other affinity groups in onset of the pandemic. the industry. “We chose WIFI first because “Most of these women are in warehouse or it’s a community that we’ve championed and retail jobs, where there are limited prospects have extensive contacts to for moving up,” says DeAnna get people to volunteer,” Langone, manager of educashe says. “Once we get this tional grant and scholarship going, we’ ll move on to programs for Two Ten. “So, other groups.” the same way we offer hope The idea of the grant and help when they are in is already generating a time of crisis, this is a enthusiasm with employee way to do the same with resource groups and execopportunities to advance utives at several leading in their careers.” companies. Foot Locker Langone expects that and Famous Footwear, a many grant applicants division of Caleres, are will be former crisis relief among retailers that are assistance recipients. “It’s getting behind the program someone who needed a little early on. Employees from bit of help to stabilize their both companies are helping family and is now ready to DeAnna Langone, manager, Two Ten refine the course do something on the educaOpportunity Grants program offerings and protocols for tion front to increase their the volunteers who will coach and mentor earnings potential,” she says. “They need a grant recipients. short-term course, like a professional certiBeyond the expected strong interest, Langone fication program, to move to the next level says the grant program’s launch comes as crisis and make them more financially resilient. relief requests (fingers crossed) are expected to Such added skills will also help them better return to pre-pandemic levels. It’s a welcome hang on to their current jobs.” change after two years of the record requests Two Ten is working through its WIFI for assistance. “We’ve been in crisis relief (Women in the Footwear Industry) commode for the past two years, where nearly munity group to facilitate the grants. The all of our financial assistance has addressed effort kicked off by surveying members about critical needs for those experiencing hardship what types of courses might be helpful to this due to job loss, a health crisis or a household audience. (A list of recommended courses emergency, as well as loss or damage due to is available on Two Ten’s website, but applinatural disasters,” she says. “Our Opportunity cants can also ask for funding for a course Grants program represents the ‘opportunity’ that is not listed.) WIFI members are also side of our portfolio. Hopefully we can focus encouraged to volunteer as career coaches, as more on addressing those needs, too.” the application process involves matching a
Manitobah Flagship Celebrates its Indigenous Roots MANITOBAH, MAKERS OF mukluk boots and moccasins, opened its first-ever flagship in its hometown of Winnipeg, Canada. The store’s downtown location, in the Forks Market, is where the Red and Assiniboine rivers converge and Indigenous communities, including the Métis and Inuit, have been trading for thousands of years—long before French and British settlers arrived. “When we decided to launch our first flagship, we knew it had to be in the historic Forks Market,” says Greg Tunney, president and CEO of Manitobah, noting that the store is a celebration of the region’s Indigenous communities. “It’s an amazing consumer experiential store that mixes culture, art, history, music and, of course, our product.” Examples include smudging ceremonies, a cleansing ritual that burns sacred medicines like grass, sage and cedar. Customers will also be able to watch performances by >25
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