DECEMBER 2021 • LONGISLANDPRESS.COM 31
THE FASHION FOUNDATION
PAYING IT FASHION FORWARD
BY BRIANA BONFIGLIO
When Lindenhurst native Amanda
Munz was studying fashion at F.I.T., she
noticed how much material is wasted in
the industry and thought, “What can I
do with all of this merchandise to make
a diff erence?”
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That question led her to earn a master’s
degree in public administration from
Baruch College and launch her nonprofi
t, The Fashion Foundation, which
sells left over fashion items and uses
the money to donate school supplies
to underprivileged students.
“It’s a small organization based on Long
Island that anybody can support,” Munz
says. “You can buy a top for $10 and
make a difference for a local kid in
New York.”
Designers from around the world
donate their leftover clothing, shoes,
and accessories to The Fashion Foundation.
Then, anyone can browse
thefashionfoundation.org and buy
the designers’ donations. Munz and
her staff of volunteers use proceeds
to buy supplies for schools in need in
New York City or Long Island.
Munz says she works closely with
schools to learn what supplies students
can use, buys the items, and delivers
donations directly to the schools. She
estimates that the organization has
made an impact on 16,000 kids with
its donations to schools and shelters.
“We realized schools need different
things. They might need basic things,
and we’re going to get them whatever
they need,” she says.
In November, L’Oréal Paris recognized
Munz as one of its 10 Women
of Worth from across the country.
Munz received $20,000 for The Fashion
Foundation and a chance to win
an additional $25,000 for the Long
Island-based organization based on
public voting online.
Munz will also appear in an NBC TV
special showcasing L’Oréal Paris’s 10
Women of Worth on Thursday, Dec.
16 at 8 p.m.
“When I got that phone call, I had never
gotten something like this,” Munz
says. “The monetary donation and the
exposure is a really exciting honor
and it was a really great moment. I
did cry.”
Munz got her start in fashion attending
the high school Boards of
Cooperative Educational Services
(BOCES) program in fashion merchandising
in Dix Hills. From there,
she experienced her first internship
at a Long Island company when she
was 16 years old.
“I really believe my LI roots got me to
where I am because of my head start
in BOCES and my internship,” Munz
says. “I’m happy to be here and proud
to have this organization here.”
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
Amanda Munz. (Courtesy L’Oréal Paris)
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