Belk Celebrates 125 Years By Giving Back

Modern. Southern. Style.

It's not just the retailer's catchphrase, it's what thousands of Belk employees hope to give to hundreds of at-risk schools in the south.

As the retail giant marks its 125th anniversary, more than 23,000 Belk employees will give back to 250 school communities during the company's 125 days of service, corporate officials announced Thursday at the company's Haywood Mall store.

"It's so much more than just doing business and filling a need in the community with a product you sell," said Dave Penrod, chairman of Belk's Southern Division. "If you are connected to the fabric of the community, it makes everything better... you improve everything for everyone."

Penrod said that sentiment is not only a core value of the company, it's a value that they celebrate.

"It's not about a competitive advantage, it's about doing the right thing," Penrod said.

The company is celebrating its longevity through a $2 million investment, and a partnership with Points of Light, in an initiative that allows corporate executives and store associates to volunteer in their communities, while also being compensated for their time.

Associates will paint classrooms, build bookcases, landscape school grounds, and update playgrounds at a school in their community. In store, employees will run book drives, create a reading area for a kids story hour and provide makeovers with up to $300 of clothing and makeup being donated to school principals.

In Greenville, Belk associates from Haywood Mall will volunteer through Hands on Greenville at Welcome Elementary School to complete a laundry-list of tasks to include painting classrooms, landscaping and constructing bookcases, among other things.

It's an initiative that store manager Carey Ann Campbell said has "energized" her employees.

The store, and its associates, is well-known for service in Greenville through involvement with United Way, Susan G. Komen and The Meyer Center, but they've never done a service project like this.

"We are very proud of what we do in the community," Campbell said. "But this allows us to actually go out into our community and work side-by-side."

Pam Nalley, human resources operations manager at the store, said she hopes the 125 days of service will spur volunteerism beyond the two hours paid by Belk.

"This gives them a way to connect and to really take pride in their work," Nalley said. "The hope is that they will find new ways to donate their time and to serve the areas in which they work and live."

The first Belk store opened in Monroe, N.C., on May 29, 1888. Belk is the largest privately-owned retailer in the country and is operated by third generation Belk family members Thomas Belk Jr., chairman and chief executive officer, and John Belk, president and chief operating officer.