These gift cards can help your charity

There is a way to buy items and have a percentage of those purchases donated to your favorite nonprofit.

Sounds like a great idea.

South Charlottean Stacy S. Baum thought so too as she was recovering from an accident in 2010.

During the initial stages of recovery from a fainting episode, which resulted in multiple fractures to her jaw and the need for multiple reconstructive surgeries, Baum wasn’t mobile. Since it was prime gift-giving season, she had to purchase gifts online.

“I also wanted to figure out a way for part of the gift to be charitable in scope or some type of a ‘give back,’ ” said Baum. “I hunted on the Internet, and not easily, found the website for Gift Cards For A Cause.”

At the time, Baum didn’t do much more than purchase the gift cards. She was busy healing and going from doctor to dentist to physical therapy all while being a wife to Allen and mother to now 11 year-old daughter, Sam, and 7 ½-year-old son Ben.

A year and a half later, when Baum had more time and energy, Baum was looking for a career change that fit into her desire to give back. Baum’s background was in social service, recruiting and career development, and she had earned a master’s degree in Public Administration, but she was looking for something different.

Baum tried volunteering at two hospitals but felt that wasn’t exactly for her.

“So, what was I going to do to give back beyond just being there for my friends and family?” wondered Baum.

“On a whim, I looked up the contact information for Gift Cards For A Cause,” said Baum. “It seemed like a great concept with the opportunity to have broad impact, but with very few people aware of it, and not an easy website to find.”

She contacted Donna Chrobak, founder of Gift Cards For A Cause, who had just relocated from Atlanta to Charlotte and offered Chrobak her expertise and passion.

Baum felt that “with some marketing, outreach, and new initiatives, Gift Cards For A Cause could become what Chrobak initially envisioned, a way for anyone and everyone to give back and make an impact on their favorite charity by doing everyday shopping with gift cards purchased from www.GiftCardsForACause.com.”

After a few phone calls and a lunch, Baum was hired as the new director of Gift Cards For A Cause. Baum started in September.

Baum is working on relationship building with companies and nonprofit organizations, website redesign, marketing, and creating a corporate outreach plan.

“My real goal in taking ownership of this program is to see people really take advantage of this concept for the benefit of their communities,” said Baum. “There is huge potential for charities to raise money that they are missing out on, and I’d like for folks to take advantage of that and communities and nonprofit organizations to benefit.“

Gift Cards For A Cause is trying to add retailers, such as grocery stores, in the Charlotte market.

“We would love to have schools get involved as well and have the opportunity to support their PTA’s as they purchase gift cards for teacher gifts this year,” said Baum.