Benevolent Bargains: The Genius of the Family Place Partners Card

Most anyone who knows me knows about my obsession with The Family Place Partners Card. I was an early adopter, a really early adopter. We shopped with our very first Partners Card at Harold’s in Highland Park Village after learning about it from a salesperson there almost 20 years ago. Does anyone still remember Harold’s?  Harold’s was at the center of the preppy printed pant movement that closed out our last millennia and was ultimately responsible for the leather braided belt trend that followed. (You’re welcome.)  So when I say I am a fan of the Partners Card, I really mean it. Here’s the deal – the Partners Card is a discount card you purchase whereby you save twenty percent at major retailers around Dallas. 20% at MAJOR retailers — Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, Tumi, The Container Store — the list goes on and on. You get 10 days (including two weekends) to save using the Partners Card.  I research, plan, and strategize weeks in advance of the savings window in my best attempt to maximize the greatness of the discount. As a matter of fact, holiday hiring and shopping starts weeks earlier in North Texas than it does elsewhere because of the retail volume generated during the Partners Card period.  (It’s right around the corner: October 26 – November 4, 2018 for your own planning purposes, by the way.)  But this card is about more than just the savings. It’s about contributing to an organization that does amazing work in our community.

The issue of domestic violence (now commonly referred to as ‘intimate partner violence’ as victims often don’t share a home with their perpetrator) is prevalent across all races, levels of wealth, and most all other socioeconomic indicators.  Domestic violence against men is also rising at a staggering rate. The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) reports that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men will experience some form of physical violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime, and it’s far more common in young adult relationships.  This is clearly an issue that pervades our community.  On the brighter side, Dallas is fortunate to have a number of fantastic nonprofit organizations working in support of survivors and their families. The Family Place is unique in the Dallas charitable landscape for several reasons.  First, it’s the only family violence emergency shelter in the community that has a program for men.   Next, because studies indicate that many victims with pets tend to stay in abusive situations for fear of harm to their animals if they leave, The Family Place recently opened a facility with dog kennels, cat towers, and veterinary care to supplement their otherwise human-centered programs.  And finally, they are the purveyors of the Partners Card.

As the story goes, Paige Flink, the current CEO of The Family Place, imported the Partners Card idea from a trip she took to Chicago more than 20 years ago.  She learned of a similar program while shopping there and knew that it would be successful in a community like Dallas.  And the rest… well, you know.  The Partners Card effort is primarily volunteer and represents the vast potential of our community and the commitment of local retailers to the intimate partner violence cause. 100% of the $70 purchase price of the Partners Card goes directly to the Family Place.  Conveniently, $70 also covers the cost of one night of safety for family violence victims at their shelter.  The event is a major fundraiser for the organization as it has raised more than $1 million every year since 2010.  This year the deal is even sweeter because the discount has been extended for online purchases with some retailers.  Needless to say, the Partners Card is a perfect fit for this Creative Charity series because of its uniqueness and, dare I say, genius approach to special event fundraising. For more information on The Family Place or intimate partner violence, visit www.familyplace.org.  You can purchase the Partners Card at participating retailers during the event (unfortunately the online sales window has closed).  Click HERE for a list of retailers and for more information.   Be sure to comment below with your Partners Card shopping tips and stories!

“In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.”
-Coco Chanel

A Scary Good Cause – BOO to You!

Every once in a while, I have a moment when I revel in the genius of fundraisers.  Having been in the ‘business’ for longer than I care to admit, I have grown a little numb to traditional fundraising appeals.  That’s why, when we woke up on October 1 to discover that we had been “BOO-ed” for Children’s, I knew I had to share. The thing that makes this idea so great is that lots of families in our area “BOO” their neighbors and friends already.  My kids take great pleasure in sneaking over to their friends’ houses to deliver an anonymous bucket of Halloween goodies (sneaking is relative here given the advent of doorbell cameras, but you get the idea…), and we wait anxiously for our own mysterious haunting every Halloween.  So to connect BOOing with such a great cause just warms the cockles of my creative-charity-loving heart.

Children’s Health (the parent organization of Children’s Medical Center and its affiliate network) is the gold standard for pediatric healthcare both in the Dallas community and around the country.  Children’s serves more than 298,000 patients every year, and no one is turned away due to financial hardship.  Both of my kids have been treated at Children’s as have several of my other favorite kids in the world, each with their own testimony about the greatness of Children’s. Because Children’s is a special place – a really special place.  And I want to be clear in my bias here – I love Children’s, and we support it in every way we can.

Back to the BOO! (and booze if you’re sipping a potent potable whilst perusing this post), here’s how it works: Now through the end of the month, you can reserve your sign online (click here to check it out) and pick it up from your nearest purveyor of scary signs (conveniently listed by neighborhood and zip code on the order page). The donation per sign is $20, and you deduct the entire ‘cost’ thanks to a generous underwriter.  I spent less than 30 minutes total on the logistics (order time & drive time), and it was well worth it.   Don’t worry, my ghouls – you should still leave a little treat for the boo you BOO, but, with the Children’s program this Halloween, it’s even more meaningful because your donation will also provide special treats for Children’s patients. 2018 marks the first year for Buy a BOO in Dallas, but a similar program raised more than $100,000 for the Children’s Hospital of Atlanta last year.  I can’t wait to see the growth and impact of this program on the lives of kids, especially at Halloween.

If “BOO-ing” isn’t your thing (or you’ve come across this post at another time of year), there are many other ways to support Children’s.  There’s National Cape Day in November, the Red Balloon Run & Ride in April, and other opportunities for volunteering and creative charity.  The point is that whether it’s Children’s or another favorite nonprofit, your support is always meaningful and will go a long way towards cultivating care in our communities.  And there’s nothing scary about that!

Also, since you’ve taken the time to read all the way through this post, can I just say that I’ve resisted every urge to inject horrible Halloween puns throughout?  I mean, I know there are a few sprinkled here and there, but I think I have demonstrated tremendous restraint given the subject matter.  So, because #momjokes are their own reward, I present two of my Halloween favorites…

What do you call a vampire that lives in the kitchen?
Count Spatula

Knock knock.
Who’s there?
BOO.
BOO who?
Don’t cry.  It’s only a joke.  Or an amazing way to support Children’s!

Click here to learn more about Children’s Health.  And here to find out about opportunities to support the great work they do for kids.

All Aboard the Charity Train!

As we approach the holiday season, I thought it would be fun to present a few interesting and fun opportunities for charitable support in the Dallas area.  Sure, we can all give cash contributions to our favorite nonprofits and, if we’re feeling crazy, adopt a water buffalo from Heifer International during this season of giving.  And we should, especially the water buffalo part.  But some organizations go to great lengths to devise unique development strategies that provide donors with an unconventional vehicle (pun intended) for support.  The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas’s Trains at Northpark exhibit is one such opportunity.

For more than 30 years the Trains at Northpark exhibit has been a mainstay for North Texas families. Visiting the holiday trains has always been a tradition for my family, and it was years before I realized that Trains was a Ronald McDonald House of Dallas fundraising event.  It’s easy to get swept into the amazingly detailed scenery and holiday chaos of the space and forget that the work is done in support of an amazing local nonprofit providing a much-needed service to kids and their families.

The Ronald McDonald House of Dallas provides families with a home away from home.  Their 62,000 square foot facility includes nearly 60 rooms and transplant apartments where patients and their families can live, play, and relax while undergoing medical treatment at one of Dallas’s elite pediatric medical facilities.  The staff and volunteers at RHMD are extremely dedicated to the experience they provide clients, and the House is warm and inviting for kids and their grownups.  Shiloh, the precious House therapy dog and Chief Cheer Officer, is a personal friend of mine and often visits my classes.  (www.rmhdallas.org for more information)

The Trains at Northpark exhibit has raised over $13 million for RHMD, and it raised (net) more than $300,000 last year alone.  The event is a tremendous undertaking for the organization as it requires coordination of artists, engineers, and volunteers during an otherwise very active season.  The cost of the custom locomotives varies with the entry-level train car starting at $175.  So, for a relatively small gift amount, you get to support a deserving organization and you get an awesome, display-worthy memento to show for it.

The best thing is that you can direct the artists to paint whatever messages or images you want on the cars.  And they’re beyond talented.  I’ve seen cars with Disney characters, elaborate holiday images, and intricate logos so you can be creative with your design and vision (they have started limiting the number of alphanumeric characters though, so no crazy, long messages allowed).  Many local businesses purchase trains for display and some even send them as holiday gifts to clients and customers (maybe we need a Being Bon Mot car next year!). Did someone say corporate philanthropy? A RHMD train also makes a great holiday gift for those impossible-to-buy-for people in your life. We all have one – I know you’re trying not to think of them right now.  And the brilliant thing about getting a train, especially as a gift, is that they make fun decorations in subsequent years.  If you’re really dedicated, you could get an engine and a few cars over a period of time then build an actual train track around your Christmas tree.

If you purchase a train before October 15, it will be ready to ride the rails when the exhibit opens this November.  Seeing our trains at the exhibit is always a holiday highlight for the kids.  If you plan ahead and ask nicely, you can often get the engineers to put your train car on the tracks for your visit.  And soon after the Trains at Northpark close for the season in January, your personalized car magically appears at your house (or other designated address) for safe keeping.  Our RMHD trains always serve as a reminder of our love for holiday traditions and our support for the community.  If you’d like to learn more or order a custom railcar, visit http://www.thetrainsatnorthpark.com.  All aboard!

Obviously these ideas are relatively unhelpful for folks outside of North Texas, but I submit that similar opportunities exist around the country.  I hope that you’ll seek out those opportunities in your community. And when you find them, please share information about what you’ve