Eyewear with Impact:

Shady Rays Impact provides backyard fun, outdoor adventure, game-changing cancer research and the food fuel necessary to achieve it all with the launch of the company’s new charitable foundation

NATIONAL (March 1, 2023) – National lifestyle eyewear brand Shady Rays is using its scale for good announcing today the launch of Shady Rays Impact - the company’s newly-expanded charitable giving foundation.

Since the company’s inception, Shady Rays has donated ten meals to fight hunger with every order to Feeding America and other Global Food Banking Network partners. To date, the company has donated more than 25 million meals to fight hunger in America.

Shady Rays Founder and CEO Chris Ratterman said that the new Shady Rays Impact program will allow the company to expand their charitable giving efforts to even more organizations across the U.S. and abroad.

“Through research and listening to our customers, we’ve identified some amazing, deserving nonprofits that make a difference for so many each and every day,” Ratterman said.

In addition to hunger relief, Shady Rays has supported numerous other causes across the U.S. such as Autism Acceptance, Breast Cancer Awareness, Veteran and Military Organizations, and Disaster and Emergency Relief Agencies to name a few. In Australia, the company has and will continue to partner with Verdn to remove millions of pounds of plastic (and counting) from the world’s oceans.

“When I started Shady Rays I knew the company had to be more than just selling a product for money, we had to give back and make a difference,” Ratterman said. “Launching Shady Rays Impact will allow us to provide even more support and resources to individuals and organizations who are making life-changing impacts in their communities every day.”

Shady Rays Impact will highlight four key charities this year including:

• ROC Solid Foundation
  Our mission is to build hope for every child and family fighting pediatric cancer.
• First Descents
  First Descents provides life-changing, outdoor adventures for young adults impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions.
• V Foundation for Cancer Research
  We fund game-changing research and all-star scientists to accelerate victory over cancer and save lives.
• Feeding America
  Feeding America is the largest charity working to end hunger in the United States. We partner with food banks, food pantries, and local food programs to bring food to people facing hunger. We advocate for policies that create long-term solutions to hunger.

As an independent company, Ratterman says the ability to be nimble, and make decisions that matter, when it counts is key. Like championing the need for backyard play for pediatric oncology patients, or providing week-long outdoor adventures for young adults with cancer or MS, Shady Rays knows that their part in these charities makes a difference.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Shady Rays to build hope for kids fighting cancer," says Eric Newman, founder and chief play officer of Roc Solid Foundation. "We are on a mission to reach every family fighting pediatric cancer through our Ready Bag and Playset programs, and their commitment to helping us accomplish that for the entire state of Kentucky is truly amazing."

Through the partnership with each of these meaningful nonprofits, Shady Rays’ contribution will directly support the patients, participants, researchers, and individuals who are in critical need.

“We are extremely grateful for Shady Rays and their partnership in 2023,” said V Foundation CEO Shane Jacobson. “Roughly 1.9 million Americans were diagnosed with cancer in 2022, making cancer research vital to our future. Shady Rays has made a commitment to the V Foundation and our mission of accelerating Victory Over Cancer®. We are thrilled to have them on our team in supporting cutting-edge cancer research.”

"We’re thrilled to partner with Shady Rays to extend the healing power of adventure to more young adult participants,” says Ryan O’Donoghue, CEO of First Descents. “Exposure to unforgettable outdoor challenges pushes participants’ limits and empowers them to prioritize their physical, emotional and social wellbeing that is often disrupted by a serious illness. Shady Rays’ generous contribution will have a substantial impact on the communities we serve and continue to make our life-changing programs a reality.”

Shady Rays employees across the country will be volunteering time and resources to these Impact partners throughout the year. Stories from these amazing nonprofits will be told and shared with the company’s more than two million customers via social media and online at ShadyRays.com/Impact.

“It’s a commitment we’ve made as a brand - to use our growth for good,” Ratterman noted. “The contributions we are able to make because of our customers is phenomenal…and we’re just getting started.”

To learn more about Shady Rays Impact, visit ShadyRays.com/Impact and follow us on Meta, TikTok and Twitter @shadyrays.

About Shady Rays
Shady Rays is an independent sunglass company and one of the fastest-growing sunglasses brands in the U.S. All shades are made with high-quality, polarized lenses in a variety of sunglass frame styles and every purchase goes towards making an impact in our communities through Shady Rays Impact charitable giving. All purchases come with the Shady Rays Limited Lifetime Craftsmanship Warranty and Lost & Broken protection. Shady Rays also sells high-quality lifestyle gear including Snow Goggles, UV Shirts, Prescription glasses, Blue Light Glasses, and more. To learn more about Shady Rays and to stay up to date on all the action, visit shadyrays.com and follow us on Meta, TikTok, and Twitter @shadyrays. Live hard. We got you.