In just two weeks, online supporters of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital spread the love by helping the organization come in first with more than 49 percent of the total votes and a $490,000 donation through the Super Love Sender giving campaign on the Target Facebook page.
Super Love Sender Effort
The campaign, which took place in the past month, invited the online community and Facebook users to visit facebook.com/Target and help choose how five national charities would receive a portion of $1 million from Target to fund educational programming. With more than 169,000 new fans on Facebook and more than 26,000 Valentine’s Day, football-inspired video cards sent to friends and family, the campaign also produced a place for the online community to share their personal stories and encouraged receivers to spread the love by sending additional cards to others.
Where Money Went
With more than 26,000 total votes tallied, Target will donate a portion of the $1 million to each of the below charities based on their percentage of votes throughout the campaign, which included*:
- Kids In Need Foundation – 12 percent of votes = $120,000
- St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® – 49 percent of votes = $490,000
- The Salvation Army – 8 percent of votes = $80,000
- United Through Through Reading® Military Program – 22 percent of votes = $220,000
- United Way – 9 percent of votes = $90,000
St. Jude's Winnings
As the charity that received the most votes, St, Jude will use the funds from Target to support the hospital’s groundbreaking research and lifesaving care, including The St. Jude School Program Presented by Target. Patients that are enrolled in the accredited, special purpose school – which has six teachers and provides instruction for patients in grades K-12 – attend class regularly and have homework.
Books and assignments from the home community are emphasized, to keep patients in step with their local school. The school also provides re-entry support to ease the transition back into the community school when patients leave St. Jude.
St. Jude Thanks Target
“We are so thankful for our loyal online supporters who demonstrated their commitment to education and the kids of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital by participating in the Super Love Sender campaign,” said Richard C. Shadyac Jr., CEO of ALSAC, the fundraising organization of St. Jude.
“School can offer a familiar and reassuring routine for our precious patients as they undergo treatment here, and our generous friends at Target recognize the important role that The St. Jude School Program Presented by Target plays in providing life balance and educational development to our patients.”
It's always good news when a major home retailer reaches out and uses social media to help a charitable organization. Hopefully other home retailers will take notice and do the same.
Mary McCarthy - Mary T. McCarthy is the blogger at pajamasandcoffee.com and Editor of Chesapeake Family magazine.
