"This year's final dollar amount is remarkable because the season was five days shorter than last year. We are in a difficult economy, with many people struggling, yet we still have over $1.1 million in Holiday [image-nocss] Match money to donate back into the many communities we serve. Our customers, shop partners and media partners knew that it was a time to share," said Susan Dake, Stewart's Foundation president.
The Holiday Match program relies on customers making contributions in the 326 Stewart's Shops located in upstate New York and western Vermont from Thanksgiving Day through Christmas Day. The money raised benefits children's organizations directly within the communities where Stewart's Shops are located. There are no administrative costs and 100% of the funds collected and matched benefit the communities that have made this program so successful. After this year's funds are distributed, more than $12 million will have been allocated since the program's inception in 1986.
The $570,000 that Stewart's is matching is only one quarter of the increased $2,250,000 donations budget for Stewart's Shops in 2009. "Last year we donated over $2 million back into our communities. We are already seeing the requests for assistance and donations increase, and we are doing what we can to help meet the needs. Our Holiday Match program and a larger donations budget for 2009 really mirror our theme, We are Closer to You," said Dake. "We are closer to our communities and closer to the people within those communities."
Children's charities can still apply for funding from the Holiday Match Program. Applications are available in all Stewart's Shops or online at www.stewartsshops.com. Applications must be postmarked by January 31, 2009, to be considered for funding.
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