My sister really has me figured out - she came up with the perfect card for me for Valentine’s Day yesterday.  It is a Hallmark card that just says PAMPE(RED) on the front.  Inside it said, “DO WHATEVER MAKES YOUR HEART HAPPY. INDULGE TODAY!  HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY.”  The back  asks, “Is it a card or a way to help eliminate AIDS in Africa?  When you choose Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED cards, it’s both.”  It’s a great card and thoughtful because she knows I am fanatical about tracking what companies are doing to to give back.

So for my guilty confession - I did get it together this year to send Valentines to my sister and niece, my parents and my mentee.  However, to make it happen, I did the easiest thing and bought them at Target in one fell swoop.  I do know Target does give back a lot especially for education-related programs so I feel good about buying things there - but the link between my purchase and their give back is a little fuzzy.  If I had gone to a Hallmark store and bought a (Hallmark)RED card and spent the same $2.99 I spent elsewhere, I would know in a different way that a percentage of my purchase price was going to help the (PRODUCT)RED initiative to combat AIDS in Africa.   Their website says “HALLMARK IS A PROUD PARTNER OF (PRODUCT) RED™. 8% of Hallmark (PRODUCT) RED™ net wholesale sales will go to the Global Fund. Learn more.”  OK, so that’s not a huge amount of money from one card but at least they are very transparent about how much it really is, something that many other companies avoid.

Onwards…next holiday I will check the Hallmark cards FIRST!  How about you?