The Hallmark vision is to be the company that creates a more emotionally connected world. That would be impossible for us to do without the countless—and often understated—ways Hallmark and its employees are involved in our communities.
The Hallmark Corporate Foundation, funded from the company's annual profits, supports agencies and programs that serve children, education, the arts, urban development and human service infrastructure in the cities and towns that are home to our facilities.
But financial support is only one way Hallmark makes genuine differences in the lives of our community members. We contribute products to many organizations such as paper plates, cups and napkins to disaster-relief workers, albums and gifts to foster grandparents programs, and baby congratulation cards to be mailed with immunization reminders on behalf of state governors' offices.
The resource on which we cannot place value, however, is the volunteer efforts of Hallmark employees. In 2010, more than 37 percent of employees volunteered their time toward charitable endeavors ranging from schools and children's centers to libraries and domestic violence centers—and those are merely the hours that are documented.
In addition, our customers, invited to support charitable causes through their purchases of Hallmark products, contributed more than $2 million to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, UNICEF and other causes.