Thousands of K 12 Students Awarded Back-to-School Shopping Spree From Target and The Salvation Arm
Local Students Receive an $80 Target GiftCard to Purchase Needed School Supplies
(Alexandria, VA) July 16 , 2012 - Beginning today through September 15, more than 12,000 students in need will have the opportunity to shop at Target stores nationwide for school supplies, clothing and other must-have, back-to-school needs. The Target School Spree will help kids from across the country selected by The Salvation Army to gear up for the 2012 academic year. Each child will receive an $80 Target GiftCard to purchase needed school supplies. Selected Salvation Army locations will work with local Target stores to schedule the date and time of their Target School Spree.
" "The Target School Spree is a great opportunity to help students in need prepare for the new school year," said Laysha Ward, President, Community Relations, Target. "Each year, we look forward to teaming up with The Salvation Army to provide students with the back-to-school supplies they need to have a successful school year and stay on the path to graduation."
As part the Target School Spree program, Target awarded all 40 of The Salvation Army Divisions nationwide a total of $960,000 worth of Target GiftCards. Recipients of the gift card shopping sprees were identified from the hundreds of youth programs the Army operates across the country. Each $80 Target GiftCard will provide a child with the supplies needed for the new school year.
"New supplies, including pencils, paper, notebooks and clothing, provide students with a fresh and positive start to the school year," said Major George Hood, National Community Relations and Development Secretary for The Salvation Army. "Target and The Salvation Army are working together and making sure thousands of students in need throughout the country are equipped with new back-to-school supplies."
Nearly 500 Target stores will participate in the Target School Spree event between July 16 and September 15 in select parts of the country. All participants will be paired with a volunteer chaperone for their fun day of back-to-school shopping. For more information, please visit www.salvationarmyusa.org.
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About The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army, an evangelical part of the universal Christian church established in London in 1865, has been supporting those in need in His name without discrimination for more than 130 years in the United States. Nearly 30 million Americans receive assistance from The Salvation Army each year through the broadest array of social services that range from providing food for the hungry, relief for disaster victims, assistance for the disabled, outreach to the elderly and ill, clothing and shelter to the homeless and opportunities for underprivileged children. 82 cents of every dollar The Salvation Army spends is used to support those services in 5,000 communities nationwide. For more information, go to www.salvationarmyusa.org.
About Target
Minneapolis-based Target Corporation (NYSE:TGT) serves guests at 1,763 stores in 49 states nationwide and at Target.com. In addition, the company operates a credit card segment that offers branded proprietary credit card products. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week. For more information about Target's commitment to corporate responsibility, visit Target.com/hereforgood.