Nike has teamed up with Good360 to donate 32,500 pairs of its Air Zoom Pulse shoes, specifically designed for healthcare workers, across the U.S. and in parts of Europe.
Jorge Casimiro, Nike's chief social and community impact officer, told Cheddar Monday that Nike athletes are leading the effort to show their appreciation for frontline workers taking on the coronavirus pandemic.
"Together, with these great Nike athletes what we want to do is show that appreciation by donating our most innovative footwear for the healthcare athlete, the Air Zoom Pulse," Casimiro said.
Along with the sneakers, the sportswear giant is also donating over 140,000 pieces of footwear, apparel, and equipment globally. Casimiro also said they are reaching out to local communities to find out the needs of those on the front line so they can provide them with the right gear.
"We have teams on the ground. These are cities that are important for our employees, for our consumers, where we have deep relationships, and we listen to their needs," he said
Nike also committed more than $25 million in products and funding to COVID-19 response efforts, including $2 million in employee donations. The company says it has invested in providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers, and Casimiro said the company intends to continue to listen to medical professionals on the frontlines to fill their needs.
President Donald Trump is talking up a joint venture investing up to $500 billion for infrastructure tied to artificial intelligence by a new partnership formed by OpenAI, Oracle and SoftBank. The new entity, Stargate, will start building out data centers and the electricity generation needed for the further development of the fast-evolving AI in Texas, according to the White House. The initial investment is expected to be $100 billion and could reach five times that sum. While Trump has seized on similar announcements to show that his presidency is boosting the economy, there were already expectations of a massive buildout of data centers and electricity plants needed for the development of AI.
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