The Kenneth Cole Foundation Awards Kenneth Cole Grants to Compass Fellows
New York, NY, April 5, 2014 /3BL Media/ - The Kenneth Cole Foundation and Compass Partners have announced the four university students and recent alumni selected for the Kenneth Cole Grants to support student-led social enterprises. Fashion designer and social activist, Kenneth Cole, is awarding four $2,500 grants to members of The Compass Fellowship, an international social entrepreneurship program on college campuses.
“We are pleased to further our support of the Compass Fellowship. There is a global shortage of committed, impassioned and determined young social entrepreneurs, and community builders. The Kenneth Cole grant will directly support the Fellows in their individual quests to make a difference," Says Kenneth Cole, Founder and CEO of Kenneth Cole Productions.
“This support will help members of our community go a long way in launching ventures to combat issues they’re passionate about. We couldn’t be more excited and grateful for this partnership with The Kenneth Cole Foundation. Students in The Compass Fellowship are tackling major social problems during their first year of college and beyond, and these grants will dramatically accelerate their ability to make a difference.” – Alex Simon, Executive Director of Compass Partners
The winners of the grants were determined based on their awareness of the problem they are trying to solve, the sustainable model for their venture, their plan to use the Kenneth Cole Grant to make tangible progress, and the degree to which they embody conscious consumption. The winners of the Kenneth Cole Grants are:
SamePage, from Nick Makarov and Joe Halpin of Fordham University, will be an interactive application that is sold to high schools and universities on a subscription basis. Samepage plans on covering the most significant global events by providing succinct timelines, infographics, sidebars, pictures, and links to other helpful resources. In order to consciously consume in the first place, students must know the wide array of daily conflicts that happen in the world. Samepage allow other people to consciously consume the news by giving them the tools they need to get on the same page.
Pumpstash, from Corinne Logan of Fordham University, is solution for diabetics on the move. These spandex shorts offer a comfortable, secure, and discreet solution for holding an insulin pump. The pocket in the back can accommodate an Animas, MiniMed, or T-Slim pump so that the pump snugly stays in place. The pocket in the front can remain unused and invisible, or it is big enough for a sensor, small snack, insulin and needles, or even a cell phone. Pumpstash
strives to make working out and dressing up with insulin pumps easy and stress free. A portion of Pumpstash’s profits go directly to JDRF in order to be part of a long-term solution for research and a cure.
Riide, from Jeff Stefanis, Alum of Georgetown University, fundamentally believes that climate change is the widest reaching threat to social justice that we have ever seen. Transportation is one of the leading causes of greenhouse gas emissions, and the Riide electric bike is a replacement for cars, buses, and other greenhouse has emitting modes of transportation.
Connect One Thread, from Jeremy Pingul, Alum of Georgetown University, supports a sustainable supply chain in Turkey, sourcing clothing from the local textile manufacturers who are certified for environmental and social standards, as well as the local organic cotton manufacturers. Connect One Thread produces clothing with social and environmental bottom lines in mind, and helps people understand where their clothing is from and consciously question where other clothes are sourced from.
The announcement of the four winners of the Kenneth Cole Grants was made April 4th during Shift Series, the annual conference of The Compass Fellowship in Washington, DC.
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ABOUT COMPASS PARTNERS
Compass Partners provides resources, training and a vibrant support network to students with innovative ideas to change the world through business. We offer campus-based Fellowship programs that employ creative methods of education and make a deep investment in each student. Our main program, the Compass Fellowship exposes 15 college freshmen at each university to the world of social entrepreneurship through an intensive personal development and social business-training program. The Compass Fellowship currently runs at 18 universities worldwide. More information can be found at www.compasspartners.org
ABOUT KENNETH COLE
Kenneth Cole is an American designer, social activist, and visionary who believes business and philanthropy are interdependent. His global company, Kenneth Cole Productions, creates modern, functional clothing, shoes, and accessories for an inspirational urban lifestyle. Over 30 years ago, Kenneth Cole leveraged his passion and unique brand platform to make a meaningful impact on people’s wardrobes, as well as communities in need. He did what others didn’t and said what others wouldn’t.
In 1985, Kenneth pioneered the first of many AIDS awareness campaigns for amfAR, which rooted the brand in social activism. Kenneth joined the board of amfAR in 1987, has been chairman since 2004, and spearheaded initiatives that have changed the face of HIV/AIDS for the betterment of millions.
Over 20 years ago, driven by his passion for social justice and the need to help underserved populations, Kenneth invented the concept of a shoe drive. The program evolved to include clothing, and to date has led to the donation of more than 2 million pairs of shoes and over 6 million dollars worth of product to global communities in need.
In 2010, the company refocused their shoe drive concept to respond to the earthquake in Haiti and also introduced a fundraising campaign. This enabled the company to build the Kenneth Cole Haiti Health Center in Cité Soleil, which now supports an underserved population of over 1.5 million people.
To this day, The Kenneth Cole Foundation opens minds through education and awareness; partners with organizations committed to supporting communities in need; promotes the culture of volunteerism by mobilizing individuals to take action; and invests in social entrepreneurship and community builders.
