Combine retail therapy with Good Samaritan deeds at these stores
Image courtesy of Target.
Sometimes a jaunt to the mall can end in an overwhelming guilt trip. At first, you’re excited about the great deal you found (adorable wedges for less than $20!), but then you pass by canvassers pleading for a charitable donation, and you’re instantly deflated. While you were bouncing from store to store, these men and women volunteered to better our world. But this was your first store excursion in months! You deserve those shoes. Before you spiral down this rabbit hole, consider these three stores that combine commerce with do-gooder actions.
FEED USA + Target®
Every time you go on a Target® run, you always leave with a bounty of impulse buys. This is not your fault. It’s hard to resist those adorable shorts or that chic, yet cheap, lamp. Now, the big box store has teamed up with daughter of former President George W. Bush Lauren Bush Lauren’s nonprofit, FEED USA to bring you that same level of design with an extra dose of generosity. For a limited time, shop Target® for items like water bottles, tote bags and more, and your money will buy meals for underprivileged Americans (via Feeding America). The iPhone® cases shown above cost $25 each, which translates into 20 meals.
Image courtesy of Kohl’s.
Kohl’s Cares® + Curious George
Spend just $5 on a Curious George book, stuffed animal or backpack at Kohl’s®, and the net profit from your purchase will help fund children’s health and education programs nationwide. From now through September, you can buy childhood favorites like Curious George’s First Day of School and a matching plush toy as well as must-haves for adults like Taste of Home: The Busy Family Cookbook, which takes the stress out of meal-planning (just in time for back to school!). Whatever you choose, you’ll be giving back in a big way.
Image courtesy of Operation Homefront.
Operation Homefront + Dollar Tree®
Just when your kids memorized the lyrics “No more pencils, no more books,” it’s time to shop for school supplies. The Dollar Tree® always has stellar deals on necessities like pens and paper, and from now through Aug. 5, you can donate your purchased items to Operation Homefront, a charity that benefits military families (collection boxes will be at the front of stores). This partnership is called the Back-To-School Brigade™, and for six years, they’ve been boosting morale by giving children of deployed soldiers the tools they need to succeed in education. Last year, Dollar Tree® patrons donated more than $3 million worth of binders, crayons and more. In 2013, you can increase that number.
