Although World Kindness Day has already passed, Aerie is extending the goodwill until Dec. 25 with a holiday hotline designed to promote community and charity.
Callers can dial 1-844-KIND-365 to receive a “special kind of kind” message in either English or Spanish from the Aerie Kind Hotline. Upon calling, participants will be offered customized advice from brand partners, also known as “Kindness Advocates,” like Iskra Lawrence, Katherine Schwarzenegger, Storm Reid, and many more. Participants will be encouraged “to share kindness through personal stories and tips ranging from how to be kind to yourself and to others, as well as how to share kindness online and with the world,” according to a statement from Aerie. The hotline will be free and users can call in as many times as they please.
“The goal is to leave everyone feeling good,” Aerie’s senior vice president of marketing Stacey McCormick told Women’s Wear Daily. “Positivity and kindness are in Aerie’s DNA. It inspires us; it keeps us all connected.” She mentioned that the idea for the initiative sparked from “connection and being there for each other and spreading as much kindness as possible.”
Aerie, which is a sub-brand of American Eagle Outfitters, will also select 50 people to receive a random act of kindness from nominations that customers could submit. Submissions are currently closed while selection takes place. While there weren’t any certain criteria for nominations, McCormick said that Aerie will choose “the emotion and feel-good stories” of those that need kindness most in their lives right now. Those selected will experience their act of kindness during December.
We’re celebrating World Kindness Day all season long! Nominate a friend, family member or even yourself to receive an act of kindness this holiday. Learn more and share #AerieREAL kindness: https://t.co/ToIkrSri7S pic.twitter.com/uCJEPOnRwi
— Aerie (@Aerie) November 15, 2020
Feeding America, a hunger-relief organization, is also in on the kindness this holiday season and has partnered with the intimate apparel brand as well. Until Nov. 25, Aerie will donate 20 meals, up to 1 million, for each transaction made with the brand’s REAL Rewards credit card. On Giving Tuesday, Aerie will donate 10 meals per REAL Rewards credit card purchase too, limited to 100,000 meals.
In a year like no other, executive chairman of the board and Chief Executive Officer of American Eagle Outfitters Jay Schottenstein said that kindness can go a long way and that working together will “make the world a kinder place.”
“I am inspired by the ways our AEO community has come together during a difficult time and how we continue to share a message of optimism. There is real power in acts of kindness big or small,” Schottenstein said in a statement.