Chico’s: Caring for Moms in Style

When a child gets treated at Children’s National, there’s a team of doctors, nurses, staff, and volunteers who support them. Often, there’s a loving mother at that child’s side who also cares for them: who drives them to doctor’s appointments, sits in the waiting room during surgery, and comforts them when they’re sad or in pain. But who takes care of the moms, who, each day, do everything in their power to make their child’s life better?

Since 2011, Chico’s FAS, Inc. has been taking care of the moms – and children – at Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals across the country. They’ve raised more than $7 million for CMN Hospitals, and nearly $50,000 for Children’s National. Chico’s FAS, Inc.’s three fundraising campaigns are carried out through their subsidiaries – Chico’s, White House Black Market, and Soma Intimates – and their largest fundraising push is the 12-week Miracle Campaign, where associates ask for donations at the register. The boutiques also sell their own unique products that tastefully incorporate the CMN balloon in scarves, pajamas, or necklaces. Fifty percent of each CMN-branded necklace sold at Chico’s and White House Black Market and a dollar of every “Soma Embraceable Pajama Separate” product sold goes directly to Children’s National.

Chico’s FAS, Inc. also incentivizes employees to fundraise. Each year, the corporate office offers the top fundraising employees a trip to the CMN convention in Orlando, Fla., called Momentum. Momentum is an opportunity for corporate partners and Champion families – one patient and their family nominated from every state, plus DC, the eight Canadian provinces, and Puerto Rico – to gather in celebration of everyone’s accomplishments in building awareness and fundraising for CMN Hospitals.

Blanca, a store manager at the Chico’s in Waldorf, Md., was one of those lucky winners. Last year, Blanca won a trip to Momentum after becoming the top fundraiser in the region. Her commitment to the Miracle Campaign stems from a personal experience when her children were treated at Children’s National. Her efforts in the 2015 campaign were rewarded with trip to the conference and Disney World.

But Chico’s doesn’t stop there. During Momentum, all Miracle children moms get treated to six hours of shopping bliss, where they’re invited to pick out a wardrobe of clothes sponsored by Chico’s.

The Miracle Campaign runs from April 11 to July 2. Starting now, customers can donate at any of the retailer’s 1,500+ boutiques in the United States and Canada, as well as online at chicosfas-cares.com. Visit the site to view the comapny's #MiracleMom video, showcasing just one of the many amazing Champion moms across the country.