PLEASANTON, Calif.,
Aug. 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- GiftCards.com and iHeartIMPACT, the new social impact
division of iHeartMedia, are celebrating first responders with a
$28,000 donation to Team Rubicon, a
disaster relief organization that pairs the skills and experience
of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy
emergency response teams during times of crisis. Amidst the
COVID-19 pandemic, Team Rubicon has expanded its capabilities to
assist at food distribution centers, provide food delivery to
at-risk populations, offer operational support to COVID-19 testing
facilities and provide on-site medical assistance.
![(PRNewsfoto/GiftCards.com) (PRNewsfoto/GiftCards.com)](https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1154778/giftcards_Logo.jpg)
"First responders have played a critical role in our nation's
response to the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis," said Brett Narlinger, head of Global Commerce at
Blackhawk Network, the parent company of GiftCards.com. "At
Blackhawk Network, we're committed to providing resources to help
people give back through gifting. This program is one of the many
ways that we're able to give back and we are proud to partner with
iHeartMedia to support the incredible work being done by Team
Rubicon to provide support and safety to our communities when it is
needed the most."
"We are proud to work alongside first responders across the
country who are committed to the health and safety of their
communities during COVID-19," said Art delaCruz, President and COO,
Team Rubicon. "We are grateful for the support from
GiftCards.com and iHeartMedia as we continue our mission to
reach the communities impacted by this crisis."
"This celebration of first responders is a powerful reminder of
the work being done across our nation by first responders and
frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic," said Julie Donohue, iHeartMedia President,
Multi-Market Partnerships Group. "The opportunity for us to work
with GiftCards.com through the iHeartIMPACT program will
ensure that Team Rubicon can continue to serve those impacted by
the crisis, all while giving our listeners a chance to get
involved."
Additionally, earlier this summer, iHeart listeners were
encouraged to purchase gift cards at
www.giftcards.com/thanks as a way to thank first responders
and frontline workers, and shared personal stories describing how
local first responders have positively impacted their communities.
The campaign aired across more than 130 radio stations and featured
giveaways on The Bobby Bones
Show, where leading iHeartMedia Country radio
personality Bobby Bones surprised
four listeners with $500 gift cards
from GiftCards.com.
Gift cards are one of the easiest and most versatile ways to
help communities in need and to utilize as a thank you for first
responders. GiftCards.com has hundreds of options for gift
cards that people can purchase as a way to support their favorite
restaurants and retailers, give to those in need, or honor first
responders and frontline workers.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have shared strong
interest in giving back to their communities and gift cards have
helped people do just that. According to a recent
study1, the consumers surveyed are interested in using
gift cards and egifts for charity or kindness during this crisis,
such as contributing to a gift card for a person or family in need
(31%), sending gift cards to healthcare workers (31%) or purchasing
a gift card from a business they care about that is closed or
struggling during the crisis (26%). Since the COVID-19 crisis
began, more than one-third of respondents have already used gift
cards or egifts for some kind of charitable action, like those
mentioned above.
About GiftCards.com
GiftCards.com, part of Blackhawk Network, is a leading B2C
online provider of gift card products, including personalized Visa®
and Mastercard® plastic and egift cards, gift cards for top
retailers and restaurants and multi-merchant cards such as Happy
Cards®. GiftCards.com is one of the highest-ranked and
most-trafficked gift card websites.
About Blackhawk Network
Blackhawk Network delivers branded payment solutions through the
prepaid products, technologies and network that connect brands and
people. We collaborate with our partners to innovate, translating
market trends in branded payments to increase reach, loyalty and
revenue. Serving 28 countries, we reliably execute security-minded
solutions worldwide. Join us as we shape the future of global
branded payments. Learn more at blackhawknetwork.com.
About Team Rubicon
Team Rubicon is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that serves communities
by mobilizing veterans to continue their service by leveraging
their skills and experience to help people prepare, respond, and
recover from disasters and humanitarian crises. Amidst the COVID-19
outbreak, Team Rubicon has developed extensive protocols that allow
its volunteers, also known as Greyshirts, to swiftly and safely
continue to deliver on its core mission of disaster response. Team
Rubicon has also adapted its capabilities to respond to the
pandemic by providing assistance such as food delivery to at-risk
populations, coordination and logistics support for those in
temporary quarantine, and opportunities for volunteers to help
their neighbors through individual acts of service. Additionally,
Team Rubicon has helped local, state, and federal partners with
direct medical response including running mobile testing sites,
decompressing hospitals, and providing on-site medical assistance.
Visit www.teamrubiconusa.org for more information.
About iHeartMedia
iHeartMedia (NASDAQ: IHRT) is the number one audio company in
the United States, reaching nine
out of 10 Americans every month – and with its quarter of a billion
monthly listeners, has a greater reach than any other media company
in the U.S. The company's leadership position in audio extends
across multiple platforms, including more than 850 live broadcast
stations in over 160 markets nationwide; through its iHeartRadio
digital service available across more than 250 platforms and 2,000
devices; through its influencers; social; branded iconic live music
events; other digital products and newsletters; and podcasts as the
#1 commercial podcast publisher. iHeartMedia also leads the audio
industry in analytics, targeting and attribution for its marketing
partners with its SmartAudio product, using data from its massive
consumer base. Visit iHeartMedia.com for more company
information.
1 "Paying for things and giving gifts during a
crisis" is an online survey conducted by Survey Monkey on behalf of
Blackhawk Network on March 30, 2020.
The sample size included 1,067 respondents between the ages of 18
and 75.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Geoff Renstrom
208-871-9280
geoff@fletchergroupllc.com
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