Hanes Expands National Sock Drive for Homeless, Makes Giving Easy During Holiday Season

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., November 28, 2016 /3BL Media/ – It has been said that we rise by lifting others, and Hanes, America’s No. 1 apparel label and flagship brand of HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI), is encouraging all Americans to support the homeless by participating in its national sock drive during the holiday season.

Hanes today announced that it will donate 200,000 pairs of socks to The Salvation Army and is expanding this year’s effort by coordinating the collection of new socks at 160 HanesBrands Outlet stores across the country.

“Walking a mile in someone’s shoes takes on a much different meaning when that person is homeless,” said Sidney Falken, chief branding officer for HanesBrands. “Socks are the most requested – and least donated – item in homeless shelters. And access to something as basic as a clean, dry pair of socks can literally save lives within our country’s homeless population.”

According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, an estimated 2.5 million to 3.5 million Americans experienced homelessness last year. One of the impacts of homelessness is the physical toll. People who are homeless walk an average of 10 miles per day, putting more wear on their socks in one week than the average American does in one year.

HanesBrands has donated more than 1.9 million pairs of socks to The Salvation Army since launching the program in 2009. The program is part of Hanes for Good, the company’s corporate social responsibility program focused on environmental stewardship, workplace quality and community building.

Lt. Col. Ron Busroe, The Salvation Army’s national community relations and development secretary, said: “We are grateful to the company and Hanes brand for spearheading the sock drive for almost a decade. The impact that a donation of this size has on our centers is immeasurable. The donation is about more than just the physical socks — for some of the people we serve, receiving something as simple as a clean pair of socks can have a positive effect on their overall well-being.”

Consumers can join in this effort – and directly support their local communities through sock donations – by visiting one of 160 HanesBrands Outlet stores across the country. Collection bins are located at checkout counters, making it easy to donate as purchases are made. Store employees will distribute the donated socks to local nonprofit organizations.

“During the holidays, our giving spirit and best intentions can sometimes be hindered by our demanding schedules,” Falken said. “With sock collection bins in our outlet locations, Hanes is making it much easier for our customers to help their neighbors in need.”

Visit Hanes.com/hanesforgood for information on additional ways to give during the holiday season.   

Hanes
Hanes, America's No. 1 apparel brand, is a leading brand of intimate apparel, underwear, sleepwear, socks and casual apparel. Hanes products can be found at leading retailers nationwide and online direct to consumers at www.Hanes.com.  Hanes is a flagship brand of Hanesbrands Inc. (NYSE: HBI).

HanesBrands
HanesBrands, based in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a socially responsible leading marketer of everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe, Australia and Asia/Pacific under some of the world's strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion, Playtex, DIM, Bali, Maidenform, Bonds, JMS/Just My Size, L'eggs, Wonderbra, Nur Die/Nur Der, Lovable, Berlei, and Gear for Sports. The company sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, underwear, socks, hosiery, and activewear produced in the company's low-cost global supply chain. A member of the S&P 500 stock index, Hanes has approximately 70,000 employees in more than 40 countries and is ranked No. 448 on the Fortune 500 list of America's largest companies by sales. Hanes takes pride in its strong reputation for ethical business practices. The company is the only apparel producer to ever be honored by the Great Place to Work Institute for its workplace practices in Central America and the Caribbean, and is ranked No. 167 on the Forbes magazine list of America's Best Employers. For seven consecutive years, Hanes has won the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Energy Star sustained excellence/partner of the year award – the only apparel company to earn sustained excellence honors. The company ranks No. 172 on Newsweek magazine's green list of 500 largest U.S. companies for environmental achievement. More information about the company and its corporate social responsibility initiatives, including environmental, social compliance and community improvement achievements, may be found at www.Hanes.com/corporate.

The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Approximately 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through a range of social services: food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless, and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar donated to The Salvation Army is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. The Salvation Army tracks the level of need across the country with the Human Needs Index (HumanNeedsIndex.org). For more information, go to salvationarmyusa.org or follow on Twitter @SalvationArmyUS.

Contacts:

Carole Crosslin                                                                              
HanesBrands                                              
336-519-3201                                                 
Carole.Crosslin@hanes.com

Jamie Wallis
HanesBrands
336-519-4758
Jamie.Wallis@hanes.com