Origins
St. Jude's Ranch for Children, a facility for abused and abandoned youth, hosts an annual fundraising program that welcomes donations of used greeting cards. The program originated when children at the Ranch created "thank you" cards for supporters from the fronts of used greeting cards. These recycled greetings became so popular that the facility continued the tradition by selling the recycled cards. St. Jude still accepts greeting card donations, and their program is among the most well known of this nature. Millions of cards have been donated in the 30-year history of the program. The Ford Motor Company alone has donated more than 2.5 million used cards, while small groups such as scouting troops and community organizations conduct local card donation drives.
The Resource Area for Teachers (RAFT), which supports hands-on education efforts in California and Colorado, is another example of an organization accepting used greeting cards. You'll find information on donating at RAFT website.
Donate Your Used Cards
St. Jude's accepts the fronts of used greeting cards by mail from mid-November through February each year. You can mail them directly to St. Jude's Ranch for Children's Card Recycling Program, 100 St. Jude's Street, Boulder City, NV 89005. Likewise, you can purchase the recycled cards via email or phone, using from information listed on the St. Jude's website. You also can support the program by mailing a donation directly to the organization.
How the Cards Are Used
To create new greeting cards, St. Jude's staff and children work together to adhere the fronts of donated cards to new card backs made of recycled paper. They also create other items from the used greeting cards, as do other agencies that collect cards.
Benefits
When you donate your used greeting cards to programs like these, you enjoy the satisfaction of helping charities by donating something that otherwise would have been thrown away. You also support the environment by purchasing recycled cards that are eco-friendly. For the organizations, these recycled cards typically yield very high profits because investment is minimal. Children who participate in the programs learn valuable lessons about recycling and responsible stewardship of resources.
