I’ve always thought of greeting cards as just a topper for a gift. Then my two children brought home a catalog from school filled with images of cards that they and every child in the school had created and greeting cards became a gift in and of themselves.
The art, style, themes and artistic ability varied greatly by class and by grade – kindergarten through 5th grade were represented – but the uniqueness and emotional response to the cards drawn by those kids I knew (and had known since they were little) was amplified by the fact that 40% from the sale of each box purchased would be going directly back to the school.
Forty percent! Knowing that Americans purchase over seven billion greeting cards each year, this program, Worldwise Education’s Artwork for Education, could be an important player in funding the burgeoning financial crisis that our public schools are experiencing due to the severe budget cuts.
And now, through an exciting agreement with Whole Foods’ Southern Pacific Region, a selection of our children’s artwork can be bought at their local stores! What a huge confidence booster for these kids. My son, Kamden, was ecstatic to learn that his card had been chosen, that his card might be purchased by someone he doesn’t even know (he felt a bit famous in that moment), and proud that the sale of that card would still benefit his school.
Each card is blank on the inside – which allows me to use them for everything from birthdays to holidays, from Get Well to Great Job. They are, quite possibly, the perfect gift – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even the kids’ friends love opening these cards. Each kid is credited on the cards they created with their first name, age and school in bold type on the back.
Having raised almost $2 million for schools since the program was introduced in 2006, Artwork for Education fundraisers are providing vital funds that our schools need to pay for supplies and programs. And they accomplish this while enhancing the self-esteem of each child who gets to see one of their creations turned into a tangible and saleable item, validating them as artists, as creators, as contributors to their school.
The Artwork for Education line of greeting cards is now available in Whole Foods Markets in Los Angeles County, the San Fernando Valley, Long Beach and Huntington Beach. Single cards can be purchased at Whole Foods for $2.95 per card and boxed sets containing 12 cards of a single image with envelopes are available for $20.50 per set through the website www.WorldwiseEducation.com. Support art for our kids, support our schools, and support the Artwork for Education program at your local Whole Foods. To learn more about how you can utilize the Art For Education fundraiser to help your school, please call 800-932-2140.