In August, Charles River Apparel introduced its River to Research program, a giveback program dedicated to supporting the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

From Aug. 1 to Oct. 31, the company is donating 10% of the purchase price from select pink items for a minimum donation of $10,000 and a maximum donation of $20,000 to BCRF. The company shares that it selected BCRF due to several employees, partners, and customers that have a connection to someone who has or had breast cancer.

A Project Close to the Heart

This isn’t the first year the company has run this type of program, however. “We started our partnership with BCRF in 2022, but this is the first year that we have officially named the program ‘River to Research,” explains Maria Yaitanes, marketing communications specialist at Charles River. “Breast cancer is a cause that is truly close to our hearts as we have coworkers, customers, friends, and family members who have gone through the disease. We selected BCRF because they are the highest rated breast cancer research organization in the U.S. with over 250 researchers across the world working daily to advance the world’s most promising research.”

Included in the items eligible under the program are jackets, pullovers, and sweatshirts. The company notes that these are some of its most popular pink products.

While this initiative targets breast cancer research, Charles River has several other charitable causes it supports. The River to Research program came about as part of that company drive to give back. “We officially started our charitable program, ‘Charles River Cares,’ in 2010 as a way to officially incorporate our philanthropy with our larger goals and initiatives,” Yaitanes says. “Once we met with BCRF and decided that we wanted to pursue a giveback program, our creative marketing team then were met with the opportunity of blending BCRF’s mission with our brand. Together, we created the tagline of ‘River to Research’ to express to customers that their purchase from Charles River Apparel flows into funding the world’s most promising research.”

The Charles River Cares Umbrella

Children in Cayos Cachiono, Honduras, receive ponchos to protect them while walking to school during the rainy season. | Credit: Charles River Apparel

Over the years, Charles River has worked hard to expand those it serves under the Charles River Cares umbrella. “For years we focused on causes that could benefit from apparel specifically — such as providing those experiencing poverty and homelessness with clothing that could support them through the colder months — as well as causes that mattered to us personally, such as cancer,” says Yaitanes. “As we started to see our ability to enact positive change, we knew we could take things a step further by using our national platform to raise awareness about underserved populations and national causes beyond our own experiences — such as hunger.”

Yaitanes notes that, as it stands today, the company supports causes ranging from environmental conservation to helping create safe spaces at schools to cancer research, senior nutrition, and more. But it goes beyond giveback programs.

“We give back in a wide variety of ways beyond giveback programs alone,” Yaitanes explains. “We schedule volunteer activities (and provide our employees with a free PTO day to volunteer at a cause of their choosing) as well as donate clothing or money when we see a need.”

For example, a Charles River customer told them about her mission trip to Cayos Cachiono in Honduras. There, children often must carry backpacks from island to island to get to school. The location’s rainy season makes this even more difficult. “We donated our bestselling waterproof ponchos to help make their travel a little easier,” says Yaitanes. “According to [our customer], the kids loved the ponchos — dancing and spinning in the ponchos once they put them on.”

Charles River plans to run River to research again next year. Those interested in learning more can click here.