In this period of pain and adjustment, when we’re all inundated by a flood of bad news and surrounded by the effects of the Coronavirus outbreak, we decided to begin the week with a look at some of the ways that companies in and around the licensing business are stepping up and making a contribution.

A vast number of companies are making huge financial donations to help fund such things as relief efforts for the needy, financial help for workers who have lost their jobs due to the financial upheaval and aid for health workers.

Some companies also are lending their talents, facilities and supply chains to the effort. Those cited below are only a sampling, but we hope it gives a dash of inspiration about what’s possible, and how people and companies around the world are pulling together to try to make a difference.

• Fanatics is manufacturing masks (shown above) and gowns out of material originally destined for Major League Baseball jerseys in its Easton, PA facility. The program is totally funded by MLB and Fanatics.
• Burberry is dipping into its global supply chain to “fast-track the delivery of over 100,000 surgical masks to the UK National Health Service,” among several other measures.
• My Icon Story has launched a free greeting card initiative aimed at getting cards sent to those in need, be they shut-ins, health workers or others.
• Careismatic Brands donated $1 million worth of Cherokee and Dickies branded scrubs to impacted hospitals across the U.S., specifically for healthcare workers on the front lines of COVID-19.
• Crazy Aaron’s switched from manufacturing its Thinking Putty to producing hand sanitizer.
• MGA Entertainment, in addition to helping source masks and other medical supplies, is retooling its Little Tikes toy factory in Ohio to produce ventilator valves and goggles for hospitals, Forbes reported.
• Major European fashion companies owned by Kering and LVMH, as well as such retailers as H&M and Zara, said they will either source or retool their supply chains to produce masks and other medical equipment.

Please let us know about other companies and industry members contributing to the effort. Send info to Mark Seavy (mseavy@licensing.org) and Marty Brochstein (mbrochstein@licensing.org).

Stay safe.