Behind the Lines: An Interview With the Host Committee

The Fashion Foundation Host Committee!

Oh, how lovely it is to be back! After a bit of a hiatus from writing, we are proud to bring you some new updates and information regarding The Fashion Foundation, along with a special interview with one of The Foundation's host committee members!

Don't mistake our time off from this blog as a time of unproductiveness—as a matter of fact—our founder Amanda and the rest of the volunteers have been working extra hard to organize upcoming events for the fall season, while preparing for clothing drops and school supply donations. 

Speaking of the fall, be sure to mark your calendars for Saturday, September 26th's "Fall Into Fashion Fundraiser" at the TAJ Lounge in NYC. There will be food, an open bar, DJ, raffles and much more as The Foundation aims to raise money to buy school supplies for students in need. If you'd like to find out more about the event, you can click the link here.

There's many things to get excited about as we head into the final stretch of the summer, but the main purpose of this week's post is to shine some light on one of the volunteers that works behind the scenes to help The Foundation execute all the special things that it can. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to a special member of the host committee, Ms. Megan Melofchik (cue the rapid round of applause).

Megan is a graduate of the University of Delaware with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. She works full time for Nine West Group as a Product Development Associate, and through her employment there, she has been able to provide various donations from Nine West to The Fashion Foundation. We thank Megan for her selfless dedication to our cause; she is one of the many talented people who make what we do possible. 

She agreed without hesitation to participate in an online interview with me, and through her intelligent answers, you will see as to why Megan is a perfect fit for The Fashion Foundation. Enjoy!

Can you please provide a brief description of yourself for our readers? (Hobbies, college(s) attended: major, minor, year graduated; what you’d like to do for your career).

I graduated from the University of Delaware in 2013 with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. For my career, I see myself becoming a director of product development and hopefully one day retiring with a boutique in a beach town (preferably in California). For hobbies: I like to paint, and I recently started getting into running. I have a few races with the NYRR (New York Road Runners) coming up this summer and fall.

Megan (third from the right) and the rest of the
 Host Committee with our founder Amanda.

What is your daytime job and what is your position/title at The Fashion Foundation?

I started working for The Jones Group (now Nine West Group) a week after I graduated, and I just celebrated my two year anniversary with the company. My first year I did product development for jewelry and now I’m in the handbags department.

I am on the events committee for The Fashion Foundation. I also volunteer and help procure product for the website. I have been able to donate over 200 bags from Nine West to The Fashion Foundation.

How did you become involved with The Foundation? How did you hear about them?

I met Amanda through a Levo League networking event. We then met for coffee, and I learned more about The Fashion Foundation. I immediately wanted to get involved. That week, I donated about 100 handbags from Nine West. After that, Amanda invited me to join the committee for the fundraiser this September.

Can you give us a brief description of your job responsibilities at The Foundation? What are some of the recent activities you have worked on for The FF?

I have been working to help plan the event this coming fall—helping sell tickets, procure raffle donations, meeting up for our weekly meetings, etc.

What’s your favorite part about being on the Host Committee?

I love being a part of an organization that makes a difference. Working in fashion, you can easily get caught up in how materialistic the industry can sometimes be—arguing over the right blues or handle lengths of a purse. Volunteering for The Fashion Foundation helps keep me grounded and puts everything into perspective. I like that the handbags Nine West donates don’t go to waste and that they go to help fund school supplies and make a difference in a student’s education right here in NYC.

Why did you choose The Foundation? In your opinion, what separates The Foundation from any other charitable non-profit organization?

I chose to volunteer with The Fashion Foundation because it marries my love for fashion with my love for charitable work. I love how we can use the fashion industry to make a difference and give back to students.

Can you name a moment during your involvement with The Foundation that was really special to you as a person? Whether it was your experience working with other host committee members, participating in an event, witnessing a donation, etc.

I loved how excited Amanda was when I gave her a huge box of 150 Nine West handbags and how appreciative she was. That felt pretty awesome. I am also looking forward to the fundraiser in September and having all of my friends and family there to see what a great organization I am involved with—it will be a special moment.

What are some of the things you wish to accomplish personally through your involvement with The Foundation?

I hope to help The Foundation grow so that other companies like Nine West will donate their excess samples to a great cause and not to waste.

Looking forward, what are some of the things you wish to do to help The Foundation achieve its goal of helping children in need?

I want to help The Fashion Foundation get more recognized so their impact can go further and help more schools in NYC and maybe one day even grow nationally. That would be pretty amazing.

Lastly, can you give our readers a reason why participating and/or donating to The Foundation is worth their while.

I think Nelson Mandela put it best when he said: “Education is the most powerful weapon, which you can use to change the world.” I think it is important to supply students with the tools they need to succeed, because the students today will shape our tomorrow.

Megan on her first day of Kindergarten!

Once again, The Fashion Foundation would like to thank Megan for this interview and for all that she does and will continue to do for The Foundation. With her help, we will continue to succeed in our mission to help the students who need it the most.

Don’t forget to follow The Fashion Foundation on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and of course, don't forget to donate to our website at www.thefashionfoundation.org. Till next time!

Joseph A. Jungermann is a freelance copy editor and blogger for The Fashion Foundation. He also authors his own personal blog, titled: “A Tuesday Afternoon.” He is the founder of the copy editing company: Elemental Edit, which provides content editing services for students, professionals, and small businesses. Joe obtained his Bachelors of Arts in English at Stony Brook University through their honor’s college in December of 2013. As a passionate reader, writer, and aspiring entrepreneur, he also enjoys playing guitar, reading poetry, and spending time with family and friends.