(Courtesy of Joseph Abboud) In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, WHP Global, owner of the American menswear brand Joseph Abboud, organized a donation of 2,000 meals to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) in New Brunswick, one of the hardest hit areas in the state of New Jersey. Working with subscription meal-kit service Marley Spoon, Inc., the brand delivered Dinnerly meal kits to frontline healthcare workers at RWJUH, including nurses, physicians and EVS workers as they left their shift to return home to their families.
“Our team at RWJUH is working around the clock to respond to this unprecedented pandemic,” said John J. Gantner, president and chief executive officer of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. “Heartfelt expressions of gratitude that we receive from our community, like this generous donation from WHP Global, let our team know their efforts are appreciated and inspire them to continue their fight against COVID-19. We are deeply grateful to WHP for their support and keeping our staff fueled with these delicious meals during this challenging time.”
The company’s COVID-19 relief initiative was first kicked off on the Joseph Abboud brand Instagram account as part of a “Joseph Abboud Work From Home Challenge.” Fans of the brand were invited to post pictures of their best fashion looks being worn during video conference calls. The fashion angle for posts was “business up top” and “at home on the bottom.” The winner selected was @stayfoxx for his post. The original plan announced was to donate 1,500 meals, but based on the response, WHP Global decided to increase the number to 2,000 meals.
“As COVID-19 continues to impact our communities, it is important that we do our part as a brand to support the heroes on the frontlines,” added Effy Zinkin, chief operating officer of WHP Global and a Highland Park native. “My dad, Dr. Lewis Zinkin, was a teaching attending surgeon at RWJUH for 38 years. RWJUH was also the hospital that showed an incredible amount of care and dedication to him during his last days battling cancer, and it is critical to the greater community where our customers live and work each day. WHP Global is proud to support the essential workers at the hospital.”
This donation is part of the brand’s larger commitment to helping those on the frontline fight against COVID-19. Last month, Tailored Brands, owner of Men’s Wearhouse and the exclusive apparel and fashion accessories U.S. licensee of the Joseph Abboud brand, brought back employees and reopened the Joseph Abboud factory in New Bedford, Massachusetts, the largest manufacturer of men’s suiting in America, to make nearly 400,000 masks to help essential workers in need.
To further expand the brand’s continued efforts, Zinkin announced, “For every order of Joseph Abboud product completed on www.menswearhouse.com from today until May 31, an additional meal will be donated to frontline healthcare providers, until we reach another 8,000 meals for a total of 10,000.”
For more information on Joseph Abboud and the COVID-19 initiative, please visit www.josephabboud.com or follow @JosephAbboud on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.