Holiday 2008 — Holiday Spirit from the Retail Industry

I hope this Holiday edition of The Predictive Retailer finds you well. I want to take this opportunity to share with you a story that demonstrates the retail industry’s Holiday spirit.

Retailers are in the business of serving the communities they’re part of, however many retailers serve their communities in other ways beyond business.

It is not uncommon for a retailer to have programs designed to support non-profit organizations through charitable contributions, but some retailers also support their employee’s participation in community service programs. I spoke with one such retailer, CarMax, about how their Associates make a difference in the communities they live and work in.

The CarMax Foundation provides opportunities for CarMax Associates to make a lasting impact on their communities. Associates participate in the volunteer program as part of a team or individually. If an individual CarMax Associate volunteers at least 10 hours with a charitable organization, the CarMax Foundation matches their time with a donation of $10 per hour.

I spoke with Trina Lee, Director of Public Relations, and Sharon Handley, CarMax Foundation Manager, recently about how CaxMax associates are directly involved with the foundation.

“The majority of the program is Associate driven,” Sharon said. “Regional committees solicit ideas from Associates. Grants and regional giving all come from Associate ideas.”

Beyond grant distribution, The CarMax Foundation allows associates to organize local volunteer programs, called CarMax Cares, where groups of CarMax Associates donate their time to community projects. “Teams can be built by any Associate,” Sharon said. “Our CarMax Cares program has been growing exponentially year over year.”

Trina mentioned how excited CarMax Associates are about the program. “Our Associates enjoy working for an employer who supports the community.” Associates have recently organized blood drives, food drives, and Toy drives for the holiday season.

Senior management is also active in the CarMax Cares program. “We held our annual managers meeting in New Orleans in February of 2007, which was right after hurricane Katrina,” according to Sharon. “400 senior managers participated in a one day habitat for humanity project.”

The CarMax Foundation is a fairly new program that started in 2003. Sharon commented. “We may not donate as much money compared to many other retailers, but we can still have a big impact on the community with our CarMax Cares program.”

The CarMax program is a great example how the retail industry supports the communities it’s in.

Have a great holiday everyone. I look forward to a super 2009.

-Rob