Corporate
Big Giver

Target - The Corporate Big Giver

There is no way that you can watch any Oprah Winfery show on television and not hear it said that; “Target (The Company) gives over/about $3 Million dollars a week to charitable causes...” Well actually I have always wondered if that is really true…..You know?

So we decided to look into that statement and what we found has motivated us into declaring TARGET as our CORPORAE BIG GIVER for the season/edition of our magazine. So here is how it all stacks up in case you don’t already know that is:

In TARGET’s own words as declared in their latest company’s financial report:

“Target is committed to the pursuit of profit table and sustainable growth, consistent with our unwavering dedication to the social, environmental and economic well-being of the global community in which our guests, team members and shareholders live and work.

This commitment reflects a conscious, company-wide dedication to constant innovation and improvement in everything we do. We strive to ensure the ongoing health and strength of our communities by giving more than $3 million each week and hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours in support of education, arts and social service organizations.

We show respect for our physical environment through the products we offer, the facilities we build, the vendors we work with, and the resources and materials we use. And we pursue strategies that generate double-digit average annual earnings per share growth over time.

We are committed to consistently delighting our guests, providing a workplace that is preferred by our team members and investing in the communities where we do business to improve the quality of life. This unique combination helps us create the excitement Target guests expect and the shopping experience they love.

SOCIAL IMPACT:
Since 1946, we have contributed 5 percent of our annual income to programs that serve our communities. Today, this long-standing tradition means that more than $3 million every week goes to education initiatives that inspire children to learn, make it possible for families to experience the arts and to partner with a variety of social service agencies, families and communities across the country.

Our financial support is just the beginning. Team members across the country regularly offer hands-on help to non-profit organizations, volunteering hundreds of thousands of hours of their time and talent, and immeasurable amounts of heartfelt generosity. The philosophy of giving, sharing and helping is embraced at every level of our organization, it’s part of our DNA.

Look around your Target store and you’ll see some familiar faces. That’s because our team members are your neighbors and friends, with the same cares and concerns as you have. Target stores reflect your local, diverse community in hiring and team member development; in addition, you’ll find that the products on our shelves reflect your tastes, culture and lifestyle. Our success as a national retailer comes from strong local roots, and we are committed to serving and celebrating our communities.

Diversity has been one of our strengths as a company and will continue to be an important part of our business strategy as we expand into new markets. “

ENVIRONMENT:
Being committed to the social, economic and environmental health of the communities we serve is as integral to our success as pleasing our guests or creating a rewarding workplace for our team members. This commitment began in 1918 when company founder George Draper Dayton formed a corporate foundation to give to the community.

Since 1946, we have given 5 percent of our income to organizations that support education, the arts and social services. Today, Target continues to work hard to enhance the worldwide communities we serve. Our fi nancial contributions to programs that inspire education and learning, increase access to the arts, and promote safety and well-being now total more than $3 million each week.

Community Giving:
Target has a long-standing tradition of strengthening families and communities through innovative programs and partnerships. Since 1946, we have contributed 5 percent of our annual income to support families and communities, and today we remain one of very few companies that maintains this level of sustained giving.

Target gives more than $3 million each week to the communities in which we do business. Our giving is directed both by Target and by the Target Foundation, each with specific areas of focus and commitment. For updated information on our programs and partnerships, please visit Target.com/community.

Target supports families and communities in four primary areas: • Education – We are committed to playing an active role in supporting education, with special emphasis on early childhood reading and support of teachers and classrooms.

• Arts – We are committed to increasing the visibility and accessibility of art and cultural experiences to families through sponsorships of programs, exhibits and performances.

• Safe Families and Communities – Target focuses on fostering safe families and communities through a number of community initiatives. We support family violence prevention initiatives and partner with local law enforcement agencies to strengthen communities. In addition, Target also has a longstanding commitment to support disaster preparedness, relief and recovery efforts.

• Team Member Involvement – Target team members strive to make a difference in our communities by generously giving their time, talent and personal contributions.

Education
Our guests continue to tell us that support for education is a top priority. Target is committed to making a positive difference in our communities by enhancing educational efforts for children across the country. Target funds programs that promote a love of reading and inspire children to learn. Target education programs reach children from birth through high school, primarily through early childhood reading programs and support of teachers and classrooms.

Early Childhood Reading:
Statistics show that children who don’t learn to read by age nine may never catch up. Through our national reading programs and local reading grants, Target provides resources, tools and inspiration to encourage adults to foster a love of reading early in children’s lives and reinforce the importance of reading as a foundation for lifelong learning.

Ready.Sit.Read!SM
An initiative to help raise awareness for the importance of reading. This program includes partnerships with publishers and resources for parents including in-store book recommendations.

• Book Festivals – Engages families in reading by providing live entertainment, costumed characters and opportunities to meet children’s book authors and illustrators. United Through Reading (UTR) – A program that connects military families through reading. A deployed parent is videotaped reading a children’s book and the recording is mailed to the child, who then watches it and is given the chance to strengthen his or her bond with a deployed parent.

Target’s support has allowed this program to expand to all branches of the military. that promotes early literacy by making books a routine part of pediatric care. ROR reinforces the parent’s role as the fi rst and most important teacher and gives parents tools and techniques to help their children succeed. By building on the unique relationship between parents and medical providers, ROR encourages early literacy skills by providing children with books at each wellness visit through age 5. Target has partnered with ROR to bring the message of reading to pediatrician offices across the country.

Reading Grants:
Financial grants are awarded to schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations with programs that promote a love of reading and encourage families to read together. Local store grant recipients are determined by each Target store location across 47 states. Target focuses on programs that inspire the youngest readers (birth through third grade). Apply for grants online at Target.com/grants.

Teachers and Classrooms:
Through our programs in support of teachers and classrooms, Target helps give educators the tools they need to inspire learning and enrich the classroom experience. Take Charge of Education® (TCOE) – Launched in April 1997, this rewards program takes the Target tradition of giving to the heart of our communities — our schools. Since the program was launched, Target has donated more than $200 million to schools nationwide.

Target cardholders designate an eligible K–12 school, and Target donates 1 percent of their Target Visa or Target Card purchases made at Target and Target.com, and 1/2 percent of Target Visa purchases made anywhere else, to the designated schools. This program is available to any K–12 public, private or charter school with a 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(1) tax-exempt status. More than 8.9 million Target cardholders and more than 110,000 schools have participated in the program since its inception. <>

Target distributes the accumulated donations in March and September each year. To learn how much a specific school has received in donations from this program, visit Target.com/tcoe or call 1-800-316-6142.

Target Field Trip Grant Program:
– To foster learning outside of K–12 classrooms, Target launched its Field Trip Grant Program in fall 2006. Of nearly 17,000 applications received from K–12 programs across all 50 states, 800 were selected to receive a grant of up to $1,000 to cover costs related to a field trip in their curriculum. In addition, all 800 Target Field Trip recipients get a kit to celebrate and document this special occasion for their class. For the 2007-2008 school year, we will award 1,600 grants. Kids In Need Teacher Resource Centers – These resource centers solicit and distribute free supplies to teachers and schools for use by children most in need.

Target became the first sponsor of the Kids In Need Resource Center program in 1999 with the opening of the Minneapolis center, and is currently the National Presenting Sponsor of all 22 teacher resource centers across the country. Grants and Scholarships

In addition to the millions donated to schools each year through the Take Charge of Education program, Target supports education through arts grants, reading grants and scholarships. United Negro College Fund (UNCF) – Target is proud to support the UNCF, the nation’s most successful education assistance organization for African Americans. Target provides assistance through scholarships, raises operating funds for colleges and universities, and gives students and faculty better access to technology.

Hispanic Scholarship Fund:
– The Hispanic Scholarship Fund is the largest Hispanic scholarship-awarding organization in the country. Target provides financial assistance through scholarships to many deserving students. Target funds education programs to inspire a love of learning from birth through high school and beyond.

OTHER PROGRAMS:
Touring Programs: “Theatre-Works / USA” – For 45 years, in theaters, performing arts centers and schools across America, Theatre-Works has brought to life the literature, historical subjects and ageappropriate issues that are a part of a child’s maturation in and out of the classroom.

During the 2006–2007 school year:
Target sponsored three of Theatre Works’ nationally touring productions: “Freedom Train,” “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie & Other Story Books” and “The Color of Justice.” Each production tours through more than 45 venues for viewing by more than 125,000 students nationwide.

Sphinx Organization – A national arts organization that builds diversity in classical music by increasing participation of African- American and Latino students in arts education, awareness and presentation programs. Target’s sponsorship of the Sphinx Musical Encounters program brings classical music to schools across the country through workshops by the Sphinx Laureates.

Local Store Grants:
Target awards local store arts grants to schools and non-profit arts organizations to help make the arts more accessible to families and students. Examples include cultural festivals, outdoor concerts and school artist-in-residency programs. Grant recipients are determined by each Target store across 47 states. Apply for grants online at Target.com/grants.

Design:
Because design is a priority at Target, we support partners and programs that promote great design, such as:
• Prominent design schools across the country
• Design institutions such as the Target National Design
Education Center at Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York
• Programs that fuse our enthusiasm for design with our focus on education, such as Great Schools by Design in conjunction with the American Architectural Foundation where students are challenged to create the ideal learning space

Safe Families and Communities:
Because we know that healthy communities begin with strong families and safe homes, Target is committed to funding programs that strengthen families and promote the happiness and well-being of every child. Target supports programs and organizations that prevent family violence, respond to disasters and support local law enforcement and community partnerships.

Family Violence Prevention:
Target sponsors hundreds of organizations across the country each year that provide programs and services aimed at preventing or reducing the cycle of family violence. Examples include:
• National Domestic Violence Hotline
• Prevent Child Abuse America
• Local family violence prevention organizations across the country.

We also endeavor to design stores that complement and respect local environmental conditions, even as we continue to grow, and we offer a selection of natural, organic and eco-friendly products that refl ect market demand and guest preferences. In addition, we strive to adhere to the principles of integrity and strong corporate governance that have guided our business conduct and performance for decades.

While our record of corporate responsibility is strong, we recognize that there is always more that can be done. As a result, our approach is focused on continuous improvement, consistent with the strategy we pursue throughout our business in our merchandising, our stores, our systems and our supply chain. We are pleased to issue this Corporate Responsibility Report, which provides information about our social, economic and environmental initiatives, and we will continue to update our progress in these areas in the future.

Sincerely,
Bob Ulrich
Chairman and CEO
© Target Corporation

CHEERS!..because life should be celebrated!

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LOVE SEED

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