Product Donation Program Enriches Lives
As with any manufacturing operation, Hallmark ends up with surplus products from time to time. It's what the company does with those products through its product donation program that sets it apart. "Our product donation program is a way to enrich the lives of people who wouldn't normally be able to afford our products," explains Karen, community development manager, who approves organizations that receive Hallmark surplus product donations. "For both the non-profit organizations and their clients, Hallmark products offer ways to express feelings, build relationships and show appreciation." Cost-effective donations
The program is set up to be cost-efficient for the company by dealing only with large orders to the same organizations on a regular basis, adds Mike, product cost competency leader, who decides what products to send to the approved agencies. "The agencies to which we donate often redistribute the products to other organizations according to Hallmark's and their own guidelines," Mike says. "We want to give these organizations items we know they can use. We don't want to risk having our product donations end up in a landfill or appear in a resale shop, which would hurt our retailers." Products put to good use
One of the larger recipients of Hallmark product donations is the Salvation Army in Kansas City. Greeting card donations, which make up about 20 percent of all Hallmark donations, are sent only to this organization for redistribution to prisons and jails across the country. "The cards are distributed to prisoners by chaplains and social workers at each site to help incarcerated persons stay connected with their families," Mike says. Non-greetings products are donated to the Salvation Army and 112 other organizations approved to receive shipments. Heart to Heart International, with its headquarters in Kansas City, redistributes Hallmark donations to 160 agencies in several parts of the country. "We use Hallmark products to help improve the quality of life for our clients," says Jeanne Fell, director of domestic programs for Heart to Heart. "Some of our agencies use products as gifts to their volunteers or as incentives to get clients to participate in services." At the Community Renewal Team, Inc., (CRT) in Hartford, Conn., volunteers and staff use Hallmark products in many ways. The Head Start program, for example, creates birthday party bags so underprivileged parents can have parties for their children. Hallmark products also are featured in a Christmas store where needy residents can shop for free during the holidays. "Hallmark works miracles for us," says Nancy Shapiro, director of corporate and community relations at CRT. "The donation program truly has been the best thing that ever happened to us."
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