News

Vera Bradley Foundation 2009 Wrap-Up

BY Catherine Hill, Executive Director

Fort Wayne, IN (January 1, 2010) — As we began our 2009 fiscal year, we braced for significant decline in donors and dollars. A year later, I am delighted to report that you, our dedicated partners, have declared loud and clear that breast cancer research cannot be delayed! Please accept my humble gratitude for finding a way to remain committed even as the economy challenges our goals. At the end of our fiscal year, we made two exciting announcements. First, the Vera Bradley Foundation has completed $10 million of giving to the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center. Second, we’ve announced that we are doubling that commitment. We’ve pledged another $10 million to continue this important work. While we have made incredible progress toward our search for a cure, our work is not done!

A pink ribbon symbolizing hope along the pathway to this year's Classic.

In 2009, we continued to invest in a diverse and talented team of researchers, we broadened our base of donor partners, and we strengthened our commitment for giving through the Vera Bradley brand.

RESEARCH: Indiana University Simon Cancer Center opened the doors to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research Laboratories this year. The dynamic team of researchers housed within the new center are collaborating at an unprecedented pace to translate discoveries from the lab to clinical trials and ultimately directly to the patients. The IU Simon Cancer Center was redesignated by the National Cancer Institute and maintains its ranking among the elite cancer centers in the country. In particular, the Breast Cancer Research Program was given an outstanding score by the NCI.

Shining the national spotlight on the breast cancer team, Dr. George Sledge, co-director of the team, has also been named president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, the nation’s largest clinical cancer research organization, guiding cancer treatment advancements through the development of major national research drug trials. “Vera Bradley Foundation funding has allowed us to be a leader in understanding breast cancer and to be at the forefront of critical discoveries,” says Dr. Sledge. “We now know that breast cancer is not a single disease, but many unique diseases. We also know that we are unlikely to find one magic bullet that cures all cases. Instead, we are working to develop an arsenal of successful treatment options and then learn how to determine the best approach for each individual woman.”

FUNDRAISING: We introduced our “Hope Grows” campaign inviting individual donors to plant a seed and grow a cure with a fresh new pink ribbon flower logo and seed packets of pink cosmos flowers for each donation. In 2008, 2,258 individual and corporate donors made direct contributions to the Foundation. In 2009, this number grew to 2,905. While this tells an exciting story in and of itself, it doesn’t fully capture the true number of new partners who have joined us. More and more individuals, businesses and organizations are hosting events to benefit the Vera Bradley Foundation.

With each of these, our network of friends and supporters grows. From a convention in Oregon, to a Broadway revue in Indianapolis and a fashion show in Ohio, to a baseball game in New York, and a week full events ending in a gala in New Hampshire, thousands of people have heard the important message about the research we support and are adding the Vera Bradley Foundation to their list of priorities. Taking the coast-to-coast message even more literally, a team of amateur (and awfully courageous!) bicyclists rode non-stop for seven days this summer raising funds and awareness for the Foundation in the Race Across America. Finally, social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter have helped to strengthen and spread our circle of supporters; and our beloved Foundation Development Ambassador, and breast cancer survivor, Heidi Floyd, continues her well-loved blog capturing the inspiring stories of survivors and caregivers she meets throughout the country.

VERA BRADLEY'S COMMITMENT Vera Bradley contributed 10% of the net proceeds from our breast cancer awareness color Hope Garden to the Foundation in 2009. In addition, the company underwrites Foundation staff salaries and company resources like creative marketing and product development expertise administrative time, and employee volunteer hours are contributed in-kind. In all, Vera Bradley gave more than $1.3 million to the Foundation in 2009. What a remarkable statement about Vera Bradley’s genuine commitment to a healthy future for our families, friends and customers.

With gratitude,

Catherine Hill
Executive Director