PORT WASHINGTON, NY – Representing citizenship within the lighting industry, WAC received the 2021 HEARTS Award for demonstrating outstanding leadership, empathy and service during the COVID-19 pandemic. This announcement was made by the Dallas Market Center and ART, the creative home furnishings network. The 2021 HEARTS Awards are taking the place of the traditional ARTs Award hosted by ART and DMC. 12 other companies from other industries are being honored as well.
In March of this year, WAC supplied 500,000 surgical masks to U.S. hospitals, primarily in the New York metropolitan area, where healthcare workers were being overrun by caseloads and were in desperate need of supplies.
“Our community well-being lies in the hands of the heroic healthcare providers among us.” explained WAC President and Co-CEO Shelley Wald, at that time. “Medical personnel and first responders need all the protection and support we can muster, but we cannot do it on our own. Please join our efforts to get supplies to the healthcare professionals on the front line. Our prayers are with all those fighting this insidious illness and with all the people that love them. Thank you in advance for your kindness, and we hope that you stay safe and well.”
“With regards to our customers, we recognize the particular hardships that retailers have been facing in the pandemic,” Mrs. Wald added recently. “To help make it easier for dealers to operate safely and avoid personal contact during COVID, we have been subsidizing creative drop ship programs to eliminate unnecessary contact with their customers for handling deliveries that would normally be shipped to showrooms.”
In addition, WAC has created mountains of new content for completely virtual platforms. New product launches, sales/marketing presentations, sales promotions, product training and AIA, ALA and IDCEC-accredited CEU Courses are now offered on a variety of websites and social platforms so they can be safely consumed from home. From the start of the terrifying lockdown, WAC created community virtual get-togethers to share this new material as it was made and engaged folks to feel closer together despite being safely apart.
The HEARTS Awards is a one-time special event to take place during the January 2021 Total Home & Gift Market in Dallas. The event is being held in partnership and solidarity with thirteen leading industry organizations to honor thirteen companies that have shown outstanding leadership, empathy and service during the COVID-19 pandemic by going above and beyond in service to their industry and/or community. The event also includes a fundraising auction supporting No Kid Hungry.
