Nike Donating 30K Shoes to Healthcare Workers -The Good News

The company has pledged more than $25 million to the relief efforts behind the coronavirus.

Nike says that they'll be donating more than 30,000 shoes to healthcare workers who are on the frontlines of the coronavirus pandemic. Overall, they'll be donating 140,000 pieces of clothing, footwear, and equipment to workers around the world.

The shoes that are being donated are specially made, too - they're called the Nike Air Zoom Pulse.

The description on their website says:

Unveiled in November 2019, the Nike Air Zoom Pulse is our first shoe designed for the healthcare athlete, an everyday hero. Fit, cushioning and traction systems work together to secure the foot in hospital conditions — and all solutions were finalized in tandem with considerations from medical workers at Oregon Health & Science University and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital in Portland, Oregon.

Nurses, for example, walk approximately four to five miles and sit for less than an hour during the course of a 12-hour shift. The work is physically and mentally demanding. The design for the Air Zoom Pulse tackles those challenges with simplicity in mind. The shoe is easy to get on and off, and equally simple to clean. The fit, cushioning and traction systems work together to secure the foot in all hospital conditions.

The design confronts a range of medical-worker-specific challenges. How can a shoe be both comfortable for long stretches of standing and versatile enough to support the hurried movements required in emergency situations? The answer comes through the Pulse's full-rubber outsole, a flexible drop-in midsole with Zoom Air heel unit and a heel fit so secure, it feels like a soft, snug hug.

* The laceless upper features a protective PU-coated synthetic vamp for easy cleaning
* An elastic strap keeps the heel securely contained, and allows for flexible and easy one-handed entry
* The durable, full-rubber outsole incorporates a water-dispersive traction pattern
* The subtle Asterisk logo references Nike's company mission and the belief that "If you have a body, you are an athlete."

The shoes will be donated to workers in major cities throughout the United States, as well as some hospitals in the EU.