philanthropy
Giving Back to Healthcare Heroes
In April of 2020, Karen Thompson – creator and founder of the Wish Wrap® – and her team sprung to action and took on their largest philanthropic endeavor ever; they called it OPERATION: Thank You.
Moved by the dedication of the healthcare professionals fighting COVID-19, Thompson wanted to express her appreciation and admiration. Thompson felt the enormity of the crisis and wanted to show her gratitude to as many people as possible. The answer, she realized, lay in a warehouse in New Jersey.
Thompson, herself, a small business owner impacted by the non-essential business closures, created the Wish Wrap® to inspire women to dream big and reach their goals. Thompson decided to give away over 7,000 Wish Wraps® to healthcare professionals from New York all the way to Florida. “We care about our communities and everyone in them,” said Thompson. “They need to know they are appreciated. It was our way of offering a ‘distant hug’ and a heartfelt ‘thank you.’ In a time filled with so much uncertainty, there was one thing I was certain of – I can make a difference.”
OPERATION: Thank You made such a positive impact in communities across the country that Thompson decided to continue its mission. Today, for every Wish Wrap® purchased, one is donated to a regional healthcare professional. Thompson’s goal is to reach all 50 states with Wish Wrap® donations.
Harry G. Thompson Pajama & Underwear pantry
When their friends lost everything in the California wildfires, Karen and Dave Thompson wanted to help. As founder of Lace Silhouettes Lingerie, Inc., Karen had access to undergarments and pajamas and quickly assembled "care packages" containing essential clothing items needed by their friends. It was an "Aha!" moment for Karen when she realized her involvement with the clothing industry provided a perfect vehicle for gathering donated pajamas and underwear to be shared with disaster victims.
Thankfully, the Thompson’s' experience helping communities devastated by Hurricane Katrina prompted Karen to approach The Salvation Army about using its large scale emergency supplies distribution center to connect disaster victims with her clothing inventory. The Army responded warmly to Karen's vision, and the Harry G. Thompson Pajama & Underwear Pantry was launched in 2009.
The pantry is named in honor of Karen's late father-in-law, who never forgot The Salvation Army's kindness to his family as a child.
In the wake of a disaster, victims are often left with only the clothes on their backs, unable to launder what they are wearing, and lack the means to purchase replacements. While services are in place for food and clothing, the critical need for undergarments and pajamas is overlooked. Through the Harry G. Thompson Pajama & Underwear Pantry, The Salvation Army's Emergency Disaster Services distribute pajamas and underwear to victims of fires, floods, and other disasters. "Through these care packages we can help people feel better and let them know someone is thinking of them," says Karen.
Thompson has launched two initiatives to help reach her goal of filling the pantry with 100,000 pairs of underwear and pajamas – meeting with pajama and underwear industry leaders to ask for donations and sponsors and beginning a grassroots effort that enlists local businesses and community organizations to host collection bins for new pajama and underwear donations.
