Wireless Wednesday Exclusive: Vanessa Bump, Head of Social Impact and Corporate Giving, Nordstrom

Holiday giving with Vanessa Bump of Nordstrom.

Have a watch:

With the holiday season upon us, many of us are not only thinking about gift-giving but we’re also looking at ways that we can give back. And Nordstrom is no exception. The retailer is on a mission to connect with local communities by providing basic needs for kids and their families. How can you get involved? In this interview, Vanessa Bump, who is head of social impact at Nordstrom, will be suggesting a number of things you can do to help those in need. And it may not require anything more than simply going shopping. Vanessa will be coming to you live from Nordstrom’s flagship store in New York City.

VANESSA’S TOP FIVE WAYS TO GIVE BACK THIS HOLIDAY SEASON:

· Give back at check-out - One of the easiest ways to give back is to donate at checkout. This year, Nordstrom is partnering with Operation Warm and Big Brothers Big Sisters. Operation Warm is a national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality winter coats for children in need. They serve kids ages 3 to 13 and provide more than 300,000 coats annually to kids across North America. Over the past 23 years, Operation Warm has given over 3.5 million coats to children in need.

· Purchase a gift card that gives back - Year-round, Nordstrom donates 1% of all Gift Card sales to nonprofits in local communities. In 2021, the company donated nearly $11 million to hundreds of organizations, primarily focused on ensuring families can access necessities like housing, food, health care and education.

· Shop your values with give-back brands- Customers can shop their values and find gifts that give back through the Sustainable Style category and through Nordstrom Made brand Treasure & Bond. Treasure & Bond is the Nordstrom Made giveback brand, through which they donate 2.5% of net sales to organizations that work to empower youth. Last year, $1.1 million was donated to non-profit organizations.

· Volunteer your time - There’s no better way to see the difference you can make than experiencing it firsthand. Kids in your community need Bigs like you to bring support and instill confidence as we all navigate this challenging time, so consider signing up to be a Big with Big Brothers Big Sisters. Operation Warm always needs Community Impact Volunteers to join their mission through rewarding, hands-on volunteer opportunities at coat and shoe gifting events in your area. There are also virtual volunteer opportunities available.

· Donate to your local food pantry – Food insecurity is something many Americas face daily. The simple act of donating some non-perishable items to your local food pantry could ensure that your neighbors in need can enjoy a delicious holiday meal.

Topics:

1. What are some things we can do to support those who may need a helping hand around the holidays?

2. Tell us more about Operation Warm and how you’re partnering with that organization?

3. What are some ways to help support our local communities during the holidays and beyond?

4. Where can viewers go for more information?

For more information visit: www.nordstrom.com

Vanessa Bump serves as the head of social impact and corporate giving at Nordstrom. In her role, she is responsible for the development and implementation of strategies that bring Nordstrom’s corporate philanthropy commitments and goals to life through investing in equity and empowering the communities we serve to thrive. A positive, impact-driven changemaker, Vanessa believes in the power of connecting dots and people to make amazing things happen. She and her team work cross-functionally and collaboratively to create meaningful and impactful programming alongside our core nonprofit partners, including employee volunteerism, community engagement, employee giving and matching gift programs, community grantmaking, and corporate donations. Prior to joining Nordstrom, Vanessa worked at adidas. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She is married with two children and lives in Oregon.