NEW YORK, Nov 2, 2009 / FW/ — We already think of Victoria’s Secret as the one that have Angels; now we can think of it as a brad with a heart as the Intimate Apparel Square Club (IASC) bestows the iconic retailer as the 2009 HUG Award recipient.
Founded in 1955, the IASC is a New York-based nonprofit group of lingerie industry professionals dedicated to raising funds for charities; its continuing mission is uniting professionals in intimate apparel and related industries as a charitable organization to “Help Those Who Cannot Help Themselves.”
Initially focused on charities for the blind and the elderly, the IASC broadened its scope over the years and today, the Rusk Institute is the primary beneficiary of its fundraising activities. The HUG (Help Us Give) Award was created in 1998 and is presented annually to well-respected, high profile professionals at the IASC’s annual gala fundraiser.
The 2009 HUG Award dinner dance will bring together captains of industry in fashion and retailing at the elegant Pierre Hotel in New York City to raise funds for the IASC’s campaign in support of pediatric treatment and rehabilitation.
Victoria’s Secret Chief Executive Officer and President Sharen Jester Turney will accept the HUG Award on the company’s behalf at the IASC’s annual fundraising gala scheduled for November 4 to benefit the pediatric unit of the Howard A. Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
“We are thrilled to have an honoree of this caliber,” said IASC President Gary Hughes. “Victoria’s Secret is an undisputed leader in lingerie, glamour and elegance and as our 2009 honoree, they have shown that they are also a brand with a lot of heart. We anticipate this to be our best fundraising year yet.”
In 1999, the IASC pledged $6 million to support programs at the pediatric wing of the Rusk Institute, a state-of-the-art facility where children with disabilities receive quality treatment by Rusk staff in a comforting and cheerful environment. To date, the annual HUG Award gala has raised more than $3 million for Rusk.
