jcp.com/angel Launches Today to Help Children and Seniors in Need This Christmas
PLANO, Texas (Nov. 2, 2009) - J. C. Penney
Company, Inc. (NYSE: JCP) and The Salvation Army are joining forces this
Christmas season to give joy to people in need through a grand-scale online
Angel Giving Tree program. From now
until December 14, for the first-time ever, customers can adopt and shop online
for Angels at www.jcp.com/angel,
providing tens of thousands of children and seniors facing hardship in
communities across the country with Christmas gifts.
"In a year when so many need
help, the new online Angel Giving Tree program will extend our reach and make it easier for our customers and
Associates to give back this holiday season," said Mike Boylson, executive vice
president and chief marketing officer for JCPenney. "By leveraging the strength
of jcp.com, we are helping to modernize an American tradition - the Angel Tree
program - and creating an innovative way to help families in need in our
communities across the nation. Launching this program with The Salvation Army
allows us to elevate our support for a cause that is extremely important to our
customers and Associates, underscoring our focus on the ‘Joy of Giving' this
holiday season."
The new online Angel Giving Tree program builds on the legacy
of The Salvation Army's Angel Tree program that has been in operation for more
than 40 years.
"We are excited about this new
online Angel Giving Tree program with
JCPenney that will allow The Salvation Army to build upon a great Christmas tradition
by reaching a new online audience," said Major George Hood, national community
relations and development secretary for The Salvation Army. "With the winter
months around the corner, we appreciate this opportunity to inspire the
American public to make a better Christmas for the millions of children and
seniors living in poverty. One small gift can bring joy to a Salvation Army
Angel this Christmas."
Created in collaboration with
JCPenney partners Razorfish, Akamai Technologies, Sapient and Tata, the online
Angel Giving Tree program allows
customers to adopt an Angel at jcp.com/angel and conveniently shop for them
online at jcp.com, in JCPenney stores or at any location they choose. In a few
easy steps, customers can visit the site to request an Angel by location, age
range and gender. An Angel who matches the criteria will be e-mailed to the
customer along with a list of needed items. The confirmation e-mail will also
include a link to view drop-off locations in the customer's area and ship-to
addresses for online orders.
In collaboration with FedEx
Ground, Angel Giving Tree gifts
purchased through jcp.com can be shipped free of charge to any one of the 1,200
Salvation Army collection centers nationwide - putting the entire selection,
shopping and delivery process at the customer's fingertips.
Supporting the online Angel Giving Tree program will be a
multimedia marketing campaign including in-store, print, online and e-mail
advertising as well as social media initiatives through Facebook Connect.
JCPenney Facebook fans will be able to access the Angel Giving Tree
website directly as well as post and share their Angel adoption with their
friends.
The online Angel Giving Tree program builds on JCPenney's
legacy of operating in an ethical and socially responsible manner. In 2007, the
Company launched its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative -
C.A.R.E.S. - stemming from the vision that JCPenney cares for its
Community, Associates, Responsible Sourcing, Environment and Sustainable
Products. The Company's commitment to social responsibility reflects its
philosophy that "Every Day Matters" - for its customers, Associates,
communities, investors and suppliers. Additional information on
JCPenney's CSR initiatives can be found at http://www.jcpenney.net/about/social_resp/default.aspx