Mongo

Target Stores

From Dick Forrey, Vietnam Veterans Association

We asked our local Target store to be a sponsor of the Vietnam
Veterans' Memorial Wall during our spring recognition event. We received back a reply from Target management that "veterans do not meet our area of giving. We only donate to the areas of arts, social actions and education. " My thought: if the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall and the veteran himself, does not meet the criteria of these areas, something is wrong at Target. We were not asking for thousands of dollars, not even hundreds,
but simply sponsorship an endorsement for a "memorial remembrance."

As follow-up, I E-mailed the corporate Headquarters and their response was the same. Personally, I will NOT be buying anything at Target Stores again. If the Vietnam Veteran does not meet the! ir area of giving then why should I, as a Vietnam veteran, spend my hard earned money in their stores?

Please pass this on to as many people as you know.

Veterans Helping Veterans

PS: Target will also not allow the Marines to collect for Toys
For Tots

Just thought I'd pass this on.

knightgale

Thanks for posting these notes, I am not only appauled but angry to read about this, TARGET themselves are enjoying the very freedom our veterans fought for, we do not have target in our areas, but if so, I would not spend my hard earned money there either, this is pathetic, such a simple request, Rest assured this letter will go far, I have copied it and placed it on our shadow riders site, and my biker buddy site and ladybikers on line, and to everyone on my entire mailing list......sooo the word is out there, and am sure my buddies will pass it along too.

Thanks for sharing this info with us

Knightgale
South Alabama
(wife) Cpt U. S. Army (ret)
viet nam veteran

knightgale

I told ya in previous note I sent that letter out on my sites as well as my email listing, got a feedback from a buddy in Pa, that got a copy of the letter a buddy of hers got directly from Target, thought you would like to read this letter from the Target Company-------is below as follows:

From: Target Guest Relations
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2003 17:40:24
To: Karen Calhoun
Subject: Inquiry to Target Guest Relations


Thank you for allowing us to respond to the misinformation that is being
circulated about Target and our support of veterans and the Vietnam Wall.

In March of 2002, an Indiana veteran in Howard County asked one of our
stores for a $100 cash donation to support a display of the "moving wall."
While our stores are not able to give cash contributions to any
organization, they are able to make limited contributions in the form of a
GiftCard. Our corporate giving program is handled through a grants based
process. To be eligible to receive a grant from Target, an organization
must meet tax-exempt guidelines. The veteran neither asked for nor did we
decline any request for a simple sponsorship or the use of the Target name.

Target has many established partnerships with veterans' organizations.
Target Corporation will also be one of the sponsors of the national 2003
tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund's outreach initiative, "The Wall
That Heals." "The Wall That Heals" is a traveling Vietnam Veterans
memorial and museum that has a strong educational component for schools and
also serves to honor all our veterans. For more information about Target's
support of veterans and "The Wall That Heals", please visit the national
Veterans of Foreign Wars on their website at www.vfw.org/news/target.htm.

Thank you again for taking the time to write. Target appreciates your
interest and the opportunity to personally explain to you about our ongoing
commitment to all veterans.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Hanson
Group Team Leader
Guest Relations
www.target.com

Mongo

Glad that's cleared up.