Cause Marketing/ Community Programs

A blood drive and fundraising effort are underway in Southern California to support two employees injured in an explosion at a Sport Chalet store.

The two employees, Victor Gonzales, 25, and Lauren Polzin, 27, were injured earlier this month while attempting to shut off a gas valve after a customer in the retailer’s store in La Canada, Ca., reported smelling gas. Sport Chalet operates 54 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah.

NEW YORK — Walmart's EVP corporate affairs, Leslie Dach, is stepping down in June. 

"Leslie has played a pivotal role in helping us understand the broader role Walmart can play in meeting the major challenges facing society today, and social goals are now an integral part of how we run our business," Wal-Mart chief executive Mike Duke in the memo.

Off price retailer Marshall’s has teamed up with television personality Maria Menounos to promote the treasure hunt atmosphere its stores offer shoppers.

Menounos, best know for her appearances on Extra! and Access Hollywood, has seen her share of red carpets and touts the fact that Marshall’s stores are a great destination for similar looks and what she refers to as "fabulous finds."

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has partnered with FEED Projects, a social business founded by Lauren Bush Lauren, to create the FEED USA + Target collection. The limited-time-only collection will include more than 50 stylish products and benefit Feeding America, the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity. The products will be available beginning June 30 at Target stores and on Target.com.

ATLANTA — The Coca-Cola Company and IFC (International Finance Corporation), a member of the World Bank Group, have formed a $100 million, three-year joint initiative to provide access to finance for women entrepreneurs in Eurasia and Africa.

ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS, N.J. — Dove is celebrating International Women's Day by giving women the power to control Facebook ads so they can fight back against the ones that prey on their insecurities and promote the positive ones.

New York -- Leslie Dach, EVP corporate affairs for Wal-Mart Stores, will step down in June. The retailer, which announced the news in a memo to employees, said it is actively searching for a replacement. The news was first reported by Politico.

"Leslie has played a pivotal role in helping us understand the broader role Walmart can play in meeting the major challenges facing society today, and social goals are now an integral part of how we run our business," Wal-Mart chief executive Mike Duke in the memo.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has launched an online destination on Walmart.com that gives shoppers who want to buy unique and interesting products the opportunity to do so while supporting small women-owned businesses around the world. At launch, Empowering Women Together will offer shoppers more than 200 items from 19 businesses in nine countries.

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Birds Eye, a brand of Pinnacle Foods, was invited to share its successful strategy for getting youth to eat their vegetables at the Partnership for a Healthier America's (PHA) 2013 Building a Healthier Future Summit this week, at a time when childhood obesity experts are looking for new approaches and new options to tackle this complex issue.

NEW YORK — The board of directors of the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) has selected Bernard Leifer, president and CEO of The SG Companies, for induction into the LIMA Licensing Industry Hall of Fame.  

The induction will take place at the annual LIMA Awards Ceremony on June 18, 2013 during the industry’s main event, Licensing Expo 2013, in Las Vegas.