Community Relations Fast Facts / Target Corp

Other Community Giving

Education

In 2009, the Target Field Trip Grants program awarded 5,000 $800 field trips to schools nationwide, which equated to 1 in every 25 K-12 schools. More than 437,000 students will have the chance to experience learning outside the classroom through hands-on field trips at thousands of unique destinations.
Take Charge of EducationÒ has helped raise millions of dollars of unrestricted funds that schools may use for any and all needs. Since the program’s inception in 1997, Target has donated more than $260 million to more than 100,000 schools nationwide – 75 percent of the nation’s K-12 schools. In March 2008, Target paid out more than $14.7 million to participating schools.
Since the programs inception and with Target’s support, United Through ReadingÒ has helped deployed men and women in all branches of the military stay connected to their families through the joy of reading. The program is available to military personnel at more than 160 sites worldwide, including most Navy ships, Marine Corps units and USO sites. In 2008, the program connected more than 130,000 families.
Target’s partnership with the national nonprofit Reach Out and Read has helped pediatricians put books into the hands of millions of children in communities across the country. The partnership provides resources, tools and inspiration to encourage a love of reading.

Volunteerism

Target team members and retirees, family and friends have volunteered millions of hours to community projects nationwide.
In 2009, every Target store in 49 states will participate in the Target School Library Makeovers project. Each Target store will receive a $500 book award to give to a local school. In addition, Target team members will get involved by donating books and volunteering their time to help makeover school libraries across the country. In 2008, more than 500 Target stores took part in the program.
In 2008, Target and individual team members donated more than $13 million and volunteered more than 25,000 hours with United Way-funded agencies as part of the United Way campaign.
Target partners with the American Red Cross to assemble and distribute Comfort Kits to victims of disaster. During the 2008 National Volunteer Week, more than 1,000 Target Distribution Center team members assembled 70,000 Comfort Kits.
More than 1,600 Target stores nationwide participated in the National Education Association’s “Read Across America” program to help incorporate reading into the daily lives of children. This year marked both the sixth anniversary of the program and the birthday of celebrated children's author Theodore Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss.

Arts

Target sponsors more than 2,100 days and reduced-price performances at more than 120 museums and performing arts organizations nationwide, from the Seattle Art Museum, the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in Kansas City, and the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach.
Target has sponsored Target Free Friday Nights at the Museum of Modern Art since the museum’s re-grand opening in 2005. When this program launched, it generated the MoMA’s second most visited day of the year. On March 14, 2008, Target and MoMA celebrated its one-millionth free day visitor.
Target sponsors 365 days of free performances on the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Social Services

In 2008, Target provided $2.42 million in direct support of The Salvation Army’s year-long mission and programs, including The Salvation Army’s holiday programs, toy drives, divisional library/media center makeover grants totaling $1 million, and disaster relief efforts.
As part of the Share-a-Tree program, Target partners with United Way to coordinate the distribution of decorated holiday display trees from its stores. In 2008, more than 5,000 decorated holiday display trees valued at over $2.5 million were donated to nonprofit agencies and families in need across the country. Also, Target Volunteers donated over 32,000 hours to support United Way programs throughout the year.
In 2008, Target donated more than 16 million pounds of food to support Feeding America.
In support of Minnesota FoodShare’s March campaign, Target donated 600,000 pounds of non-perishable food items to Second Harvest Heartland. Target’s donation was one of the organization’s largest single corporate food donations ever.
Target House has served more than 1,300 families of children who are receiving life-saving treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, touching 65 countries around the world.

Contact: Kristen Jones, IMRE, (410) 821-8220
May 2009
Communications, Target, (612) 696-3400