As a national women’s retailer, ANN INC. is dedicated to women and the causes that matter most to them.

We are active in the fight against breast cancer through our support of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®. We also demonstrate our commitment to women and girls through various women’s health and empowerment organizations.



We are committed partners with The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and dedicated to making a difference in the fight against Breast Cancer. During Breast Cancer Awareness season, we offer the Ann Taylor Cares and LOFT Cares Cards in all of our stores, enabling clients to join the fight with us. Ninety percent of the purchase price of every card sold is donated to BCRF to fund research. Every year, the Ann Taylor and LOFT brands offer unique products and opportunities to engage associates and enable clients to support the cause.

Through this partnership, our clients and associates have donated $13.4 million since 2005. The Company’s annual contribution fully funds 13 BCRF researcher grants that support groundbreaking studies across the U.S. and in Canada. Our 2012–2013 BCRF grant recipients include:

• Dr. Graham Colditz, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
• Dr. Laura Esserman, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California
• Dr. Carol Fabian, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas
• Dr. Dawn Hershman, Columbia University, New York
• Dr. Stephen Hursting, University of Texas, Austin, Texas
• Dr. Johanna Joyce, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York
• Dr. Seema Khan, Northwestern University, Illinois
• Dr. Nancy U. Lin, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Massachusetts
• Dr. Kathy Miller, Indiana University, Indiana
• Dr. Lois Shepherd, Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada
• Dr. Annette Stanton, University of California, Los Angeles, California
• Dr. Kala Visvanathan, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
• Dr. Richard Zellars, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
      
      


In 2011, ANN INC. committed to invest $1.3 million over four years to support the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative. ANNpower is a groundbreaking partnership between ANN INC. and Vital Voices Global Partnership. We are working together to train and empower the next generation of leaders in the U.S.

Through a competitive application process, Vital Voices and ANN INC. select a group of young women every year who are rising high school juniors and seniors across the U.S. to become ANNpower Fellows. These outstanding young women participate in the annual ANNpower Vital Voices Leadership Forum, a three-day leadership training program in Washington, D.C. The Forum’s curriculum is based on the Vital Voices Leadership Model. Fellows are mentored by 12 global women leaders who are part of the Vital Voices Global Leadership Network, as well as executives from ANN INC. After completing the leadership training program, our ANNpower Fellows have the opportunity to go back to their communities and create projects that will affect change, taking all that they learned in the forum to implement their ideas. Fellows are then eligible to win project grants that will help put their ideas into action.

The current 50 ANNpower Fellows hail from 24 states across the U.S., including California, Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota, Texas and New York. They are passionate about different issues – but all of them are committed to creating sustainable change in their communities and around the globe. To learn more about the program or to apply, visit ANNpower.org.
      
      


For more than 16 years, our associates have volunteered to participate locally at a grassroots level in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure series to make a difference in the fight against breast cancer. Our field associates sign up to walk in close to 60 cities throughout the U.S. every year.


On September 29, 2004 my life changed forever when I was diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. I was 29 years old with an 18 month old son and afraid that I would never see him grow up. With no history of breast cancer in my family I was shocked and scared. Why was this happening to me? What did I do to deserve this? How am I going to survive? These were all questions I asked day in and day out. I immediately had surgery and six months of chemotherapy followed by more surgery and six weeks of radiation. Throughout it all, I trusted in my doctors and the research that has been done to bring me to survivor status. I am happy to say that seven years later I am still cancer free and enjoying life with my husband and eight year old son. I am getting to see him grow up and so blessed to be healthy and a SURVIVOR.

When I was sick, I continued to work full time here at Ann Taylor and was so thankful to work for a company dedicated to their employees and the fight against breast cancer. I walk for all those that may have to go through this in their lives so we can continue to research and help find a cure for this awful disease.

– Lisa Arnett, Manager, Multi-Channel Client Contact Center
 


We’re passionate about empowering women to achieve professional and personal success. Every woman should have the tools and the opportunity to be successful, and we support organizations that help women and girls achieve their dreams, including the Junior League, Step Up Women’s Network, Dress for Success, A Minor Miracle, the Girl Scouts and Life Haven, CT.