Macy’s Steps Up its Charity Presence

Last week-end was “Shop for A Cause” at Macy’s. Macy’s stores let charities sign up for a table at store entrances where the charities sold for $5.00 a coupon pass good for that day. All the proceeds went to the charity. A win-win situation. Macy’s gets more customers in their stores to use their coupons and the charities profit from the sales with little expense. I signed up the charity I am involved with, the Clara Jean Foundation, a holistic approach to breast cancer, http://www.clarajean.org/, for the day shift.

Since it was our first year we did not know what to expect. We didn’t come prepared. Next year we will be better prepared from what we learned from other charities that have done this promotion.

Here is what we learned:
1. Dogs, especially big dogs will stop a shopper in her tracks

2. A couple of cute teenage well mannered boys roaming the store asking customers if they need help with their packages and selling the coupons on the spot at the registers

3. 12-13 year old determined young girls stopping and selling to customers

4. Cooking demonstrations with samples

5. Cookies, candy, balloons, dog treats, wrist bracelets, teething cookies, water

6. Bag/Coat check station

7. Resting chairs with portable TVs incase there is a game

8. Chair Massages

9. Raffle to win something/anything

10. Cheer Leaders

We have a year to come up with our plans and we will be better prepared for next year. My thoughts go to pink balloons, cheerleaders, pink cookies, breast cancer wrist bands, chair massage, and maybe even flu shots! I am really impressed with Macy’s commitment to support not only national but local charities too. The coupons were fantastic. Boy did I get some great buys on presents for the Holidays!

Take Action for Breast Cancer

October is breast cancer awareness month. There are many sites to look at that support breast cancer. I am suggesting the following the Three:

1. Have you heard of the Army of Women? http://www.armyofwomen.org/. Sign up to join the force that helps find a cure for breast cancer.

2. How about Passionately Pink for the Cure? Become a “Passionista”, http://www.passionatelypink.org/.
October 31, 2008 is the date here at Haralee.Com, http://www.haralee.com/ to wear the pink.

3. I vote for the cure. Tell our political leaders that “you expect them to make breast cancer a national priority.” http://komenpolicy.org/campaign/ivftc


There is discussion among women, and bloggers, about companies that donate a percentage of their sales to breast cancer research. The discussion varies from feeling duped by the claim that the fine print says only .5% of sales for a two week period from one company to elation by the fine print saying a cap of $250,000.00 is allowed from another company. My opinion is any dollars donated to breast cancer research are dollars previously not contributed. Large amounts or small they all add up. As a consumer, if the choice is between two products and one of the companies donate to breast cancer research that is the company I would choose.