Message from Cynthia

Shop Green For A Cause":  Because Green Living Matters

Across the nation, grass-roots organizations, not-for-profit agencies and community groups are being faced with the mounting challenge of providing more quality services with shrinking funds. Imagine a program that takes a portion of people’s everyday shopping dollars and translates them into legacy funds for you!

Each year a variety of fundraising projects are undertaken by many organizations in an effort to generate additional income to supplement the bottom line. Whether it be the sale of items such as wrapping paper, candy bars and raffle tickets or the traditional “big ticket” programs like auctions, fashion shows or dinner galas; they all require the selling of something.

The final outcome is all too often less than hoped for results, with the staff and volunteers expending EXTENSIVE MANPOWER and PLANNING HOURS that garner limited financial return. Participants of the effort sometimes lose momentum with the pressure of having to sell yet another item. Paperwork is a hassle and the need to deliver goods or meet deadlines creates more frustration for a volunteer corps. From a fundraising point of view, each New Year begins at ground zero. Often people who buy products or tickets are doing so just to support the cause, but have no real use for what they are purchasing. These endeavors and transactions do not help the environment, create legacy funds, nor necessarily improve the lives of individuals participating.

Most consumers buy their everyday household products at places like Sam’s Club, BJ’s Costco, Wal-Mart or their favorite grocery store. Most likely, they do not own stock in any of those stores, nor do they receive dividend checks to shop there. Nonetheless, they shop there out of habit and necessity. None of their purchases has the benefit of being part of a planned-giving program.

When was the last time anyone you knew received a check from Proctor & Gamble or Johnson & Johnson for using their products?

When people choose to “Shop Green For A Cause”, they are simply REDIRECTING their monthly purchasing habits to support a fundraising effort. By switching stores and shopping green; they are receiving higher quality, non-toxic products that cost less than what they are already buying somewhere else and a portion of the proceeds from their purchases goes directly to the organization of choice.

This program allows for even the most modest of households to be able to give!  Everyone who shops becomes a donor – yet they use no “new money”. Additionally, all the products they purchase are non-toxic, extremely cost competitive, environmentally safe.