Daniel Leppo said it doesn’t take long when you work for Bloomingdale’s to become immersed in the retailer’s philanthropic commitment to its customers, communities and colleagues.
Leppo, Bloomingdale’s executive vice president and GMM of home, men’s, cosmetics and children’s, is the 2023 Housewares Charity Foundation (HCF) Humanitarian of the Year. He will be among the honorees at the HCF Gala on March 6 at the Four Seasons Hotel Chicago during The Inspired Home Show 2023.
Leppo joined Bloomingdale’s out of Brown University in 1993 to discover Bloomingdale’s supports a wide range of charitable causes on its own and through its parent, Macy’s Inc.
The upscale department store is a longtime supporter of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF), the legacy charity of HCF. Bloomingdale’s has helped raise $16.2 million for BCRF through its ongoing Give Pink, Get More campaign. Housewares products and special promotions play a key role in Bloomingdale’s breast cancer awareness campaign each October, during which all stores and its online platforms are accented in pink, including the pink illumination of the exterior of its New York City flagship on 59th Street, Leppo said.
“(Breast cancer research) remains vital at a global level and at a community level,” Leppo said. “It’s very important to our entire organization and to our customers. Unfortunately, virtually everyone has been touched in some way by breast cancer.”
The retailer also supports The Tutu Project, formed by Bob and Linda Carey (Linda is a breast cancer survivor) to raise funds for women, men and their families to ease the financial burdens that come with breast cancer diagnoses. Bob Carey appears at events across the country wearing a pink tutu to spread the message in support of the cause.
Leppo highlighted Bloomingdale’s involvement in other charitable programs. These include the Child Mind Institute; supporting mental health wellness and learning development in children; the North Star Relief Fund to provide emergency aid to Macy’s Inc. colleagues in need; and No Child Hungry, a more recent charitable partner of Bloomingdale’s Leppo said is a strong connection to the housewares industry.
“The real power of any retailer to move social change is through what we sell,” he added, noting an undercurrent of diversity, inclusion and equality that runs through all of Bloomingdale’s charitable endeavors.
Leppo leads Bloomingdale’s Big Giveback campaign every August. The campaign encourages Bloomingdale’s colleagues at all levels of its organization to drive charitable giving in support not only of its core philanthropic programs but also of any charities about which they are passionate.
“It’s a wonderful month,” Leppo said. “The level of the financial gift is not as important as getting the entire organization to participate.”
The other honorees include William Endres, president of Select Brands; and Clea Shearer, co-founder, The Home Edit.
Click here for more information on the Housewares Charity Foundation and to purchase tickets to the 2023 HCF Gala.
