WASHINGTON — The NRF Foundation has named The Door as its 2026 RISE Up Partner of the Year, recognizing the New York City nonprofit for more than two decades of youth development work and its success in providing retail career pathways. The award, presented by Old Navy, will be celebrated at the NRF Foundation Honors on January 11 in New York City.
“The Door has been an extraordinary partner with the NRF Foundation in expanding access to retail careers to young people in New York City,” NRF Foundation Executive Director Adam Lukoskie said. “By offering RISE Up, The Door provides its clients with the soft and hard retail skills to be successful on day one.”Founded in 1972, The Door serves about 11,000 young people annually, offering free access to health services, legal support, housing assistance, arts and education programs, and career training. Its partnership with Old Navy includes the retailer’s This Way ONward initiative, which equips participants with job readiness skills and connects them with meaningful employment opportunities.
Old Navy President and CEO Horacio Barbeito emphasized the retailer’s support for the collaboration. “Old Navy joins the NRF Foundation in celebrating the 2026 RISE Up Partner of the Year and we are proud to expand our partnership with The Door in collaboration with the NRF Foundation, rooted in expanding access to opportunity,” he said. “Together, we are unlocking even more on-ramps into retail — an industry that thrives when it invests in the potential of young people.”
The Door’s CEO, Kelsey Louie, noted the impact of combining retail training with broader support services. “We are honored to be recognized as the RISE Up Partner of the Year. At The Door, we believe every young person deserves the chance to build a strong foundation for their future,” Louie said. “By combining RISE Up’s dynamic retail curriczulum with our career education programs and comprehensive wraparound supports, we are ensuring that New York City youth not only gain industry-recognized skills and credentials, but also the resources and stability they need to thrive. Together, we are helping young people turn training into opportunity, opening doors to careers across the very retail brands they know and trust.”
The 2026 NRF Foundation RISE Up Partner of the Year will be recognized at the NRF Foundation Honors in New York City on January 11.
More than 60,000 students, 6,000 educators and 3,500 locations nationwide engage with the NRF Foundation RISE Up curriculum each year, introducing retail careers, influencing perceptions of retail jobs and teaching the skills necessary to thrive in retail.
