Did you know that …
$449 billion in gift cards were sold over the past 5-years and
$40 billion will “never” be used!
Some cards are likely lost forever – fell in the trash, dog chewed them, etc. – but even 1/4 would mean $10 billion is still lying around America that could help charities.
That’s about $32 for every person or almost $60 million for a metro area like Columbus, Ohio.
My mission, my raison d’être, is to teach everyone to donate these forgotten treasures to their favorite charities.
COLLECTING GIFT CARDS
Where are all these lost gift cards and how do I collect them?
Many gift cards are collecting dust at the bottom of a purse, junk drawer, night stand, jewelry box, etc. You will be surprised how many you find when you start looking.
Proof: I was speaking with this older lady on the phone about collecting gift cards for charity and I kept hearing noises in the background. After a while, she interrupted me all excited, “Ah ha, I found one.” She had rummaged through her purse the whole time and found a theatre gift card. It was just like finding buried treasure!
You can collect gift cards in many of the same ways you collect other items for charities:
- Collect them at school or the office
- Ask family, friends, and neighbors (Safety Tips)
- Ask for gift cards on your charity fundraising page – be sure to request money first and then ask if they have any gift cards. This will maximize your efforts for your favorite cause!
GIVE GIFT CARDS TO A CHARITY
I have collected a bunch of gift cards, now what do I do?
Give your gift cards to the charity by:
- Dropping them off at the charity’s office
- Giving them to an event staff person at a charity race or other event
- Mailing them to the charity’s office — be sure to use a strong envelope or box so the cards do not slip out during delivery.
Let the charity know Mophe sent you and to visit BAYCDA.org to get a hold of me if they have questions about the gift cards.
CHARITIES CAN MAXIMIZE GIFT CARDS
How can charities get the most out of donated gift cards?
That somewhat depends on the charity.
- Food banks can use grocery gift cards to buy food for the hungry
- Shelters can use department store gift cards to buy bedding and other supplies to help individuals and families
- Any charity can use office supply gift cards.
- Turn other gift cards into cash at a charity silent auction.
- Sell any remaining gift cards to gift card companies online for roughly 75 cents on the dollar, though the rate varies by company and merchant.
GIFT CARD BALANCE
Find gift card balance tips here.
