Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

Using gift cards for social good?


I made this video earlier today (click here if you can’t view) after heading out to use a gift card that I won for Boloco at lunch. Well I never made it there, instead I gave the card to a down-on-his -luck guy who’s sign read Homeless, Please Give Money For Food and some other things that I couldn’t make out. Now I am not looking for a pat on the back or anything – because I don’t deserve it. The act was simply an act from one human to another.

I made the video to throw something out there. The card was originally won answering a question that Jeff Cutler had posed one afternoon broadcasting live from the company’s Natick location. Since the company is ready to offer cards to drive patrons to their store in return for publicity, I wondered if they (or any other company *cough McDonalds* *cough Dunkin Donuts*) would be interested in offering the same cards for a socially responsible cause.

From the PR side, the companies could also leverage it in terms of good press while also benefiting from the humanitarian work as well. Sorry the flack inside creeps out every now and then.

Massachusetts is cold in the winter (as are many other areas) and there are a lot of homeless and down on their luck folks out there. Why not offer them a warm meal and a place to warm their bones? Think about it a $5 gift card would assure a meal whereas money can be used for booze and drugs.

It might be something to consider next time you have a food gift certificate lying around.

What do you think? Am I crazy or would this be a decent move for some companies?

14 Responses to Using gift cards for social good?
  1. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 7:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  2. PR Cog
    January 23, 2010 | 2:38 pm

    Hey Jeff –

    Good show man & great thought. I do the same when I win promo ‘free burger’ coupons and the like. I can manage to buy my own fastfood if there’s a freebie it should definitely go to someone down on their luck.

    And you do get a pat on the back (pat pat).

    I think the problem the restaurants will have is (and I’m not saying it’s proper, just what the problem will be) the ‘paying’ patrons won’t want down on their luck folks in there sharing their space. Taken another way McD or DD won’t want to become a refuge for the homeless taking up the space that could be used by paying patrons.

    I imagine this was part of the reasons organizations like City Harvest (in NY) sprouted up – to take the food to shelters where it can be distributed centrally and any kind of social stigma (on one side) or ‘fear’ (on the other side) is removed.

    I believe there are ways around this if the companies are interested in actually helping and grow a pair – open an hour early / stay open an hour later, in their own neighborhood hand out food (i.e. not in the rest), etc.

    A number of years ago I actually did some work for a homeless organization – as you can probably guess it’s not just a lack of money – a decent percentage of homeless individuals have a mental illness of some variety making daily life difficult which is how they ended up in the situation to begin with.

    This would scare off a few companies and may make getting the people in the door, even if the companies did step up, a little more difficult.

    Anyway, great thoughts and definitely worth pursuing, just a good number of potential obstacles to consider going in.

  3. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 7:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  4. Espo
    January 23, 2010 | 2:43 pm

    Thanks for the feedback Cog. Interesting enough Disqus seems to be down so the threads will probably become sloppy.

    I thought of those ideas as stumbling blocks and it is a shame that companies forget their human element. You know they want to be front and center when a disaster hits or when the camera is rolling. Maybe I am jaded being in the PR industry, but I remember a time when being a part of the community was something that all these shops were in tune with.

    This was just a thought that I had today and am going to be more conscious about giving away the freebies to the fast food joints that I receive.

  5. uberVU - social comments
    January 23, 2010 | 3:19 pm

    Social comments and analytics for this post…

    This post was mentioned on Twitter by jeffespo: @jeffcutler Hey just went to use the gift card that you gave me and wanted to see what your thoughts were on it http://bit.ly/8esXBW

  6. […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by PRCog, jeffespo, jeffespo, Publicity News, kelvin lee and others. kelvin lee said: Using gift cards for social good? http://j.mp/8FFhjp […]

  7. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 6:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  8. mgallizzi
    January 25, 2010 | 1:43 pm

    I like this idea. I'm going to share this with a few others in person. Very interesting…

  9. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 10:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  10. jeffespo
    January 25, 2010 | 5:23 pm

    Thanks Mike. Let me know if you need any help.

  11. Rachel Levy
    January 26, 2010 | 1:27 am

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  12. Rachel Levy
    January 25, 2010 | 8:27 pm

    Great idea Jeff! Companies could put it into their checkout process, so after you've purchased your card, it would say “Do you want to purchase a $5 card to give to someone needy? Check yes, and we'll send it to you!”

  13. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 8:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

  14. jeffespo
    January 26, 2010 | 3:17 am

    Thanks Rachel. The only problem is the stigma often associated with homeless people. It would be a great goodwill effort if one company started the trend.

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