At the Target for Good Party at the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in NYC, I got the chance to taste both new Ben & Jerry’s flavors: Berry Voluntary and Brownie Chew Gooder.  Very tasty!!  And I love what this promotion supports!

Target and Ben & Jerry’s have partnered to offer two new, exclusive ice cream flavors at all Target stores nationwide.  The super premium ice cream flavors, Berry Voluntary^® and Brownie Chew Gooder^®, will be available throughout 2010 in mini cups and pints.  For the Target news release click here.  I could find no reference to this partnership or new flavors on Ben & Jerry’s website.  In fact their most recent press release posted was from 4/20!  Sheesh!

Berry Voluntary is raspberry cheesecake flavored ice cream laced with white chocolate chunks and raspberry swirls.  Brownie Chew Gooder is vanilla caramel ice cream with fudge brownie pieces, finished with a caramel swirl.   Mini cups will be available for $1.25* and pints will be priced at $3.50*.  I ate two mini cups at the Party and they both were delicious!

From the Target press release, “The partnership symbolizes each company’s shared commitment to volunteerism.  Berry Voluntary and Brownie Chew Gooder were specifically created to encourage guests to volunteer in their local communities through a special promotion called “Scoop it Forward.”

Guests simply visit www.VolunteerMatch.org/scoopitforward to find volunteer opportunities in their neighborhoods.  After registering for a specific volunteer activity, and forwarding the opportunity to five friends, that person and each of his or her friends will receive a coupon for a free pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, redeemable at Target stores, while supplies last.  After that time, guests will still be able to participate in the “Scoop It Forward” promotion, and will receive a $1 off coupon in recognition of their volunteer efforts.”

So eat some ice cream, feel virtuous, and support volunteerism!

Last week I attended the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in New York with almost 6,000 people from nonprofits, business, and government. One of the highlights for me was attending Target’s Party for Good at Basketball City – Pier 36 in NYC on Tuesday, June 29th.

Party for Good was a combo service project and party benefiting Feeding America, Food Bank for NYC and City Harvest.  According to the Target press release, “The ‘Party for Good’ allows Target to expand our commitment to combat hunger and its impact on children’s academic achievement,” said Laysha Ward, president, community relations, Target. “We’re proud to partner with the National Conference on Volunteering and Service and the Food Bank For New York City on this unique service project.”

Target provided busses from the conference hotels across town to Pier 36 where we met by enthusiastic Target ambassadors in red employee volunteer shirts holding bullseye signs.  Basketball City is a HUGE place and it was packed!!  Target provided a great free buffet spread of chicken, burgers, salads, and desserts plus an open bar.  Through out the evening, the tunes were cranking and there was live entertainment with celebrities including “The Insider”, Lara Spencer, American Idols’ Katharine McPhee and others.  The energy was high and everyone was having a great time!  Including me!

The 5,000+ attendees were each expected to roll up their sleeves and pack at least 3 boxes of food to meet the 150,000 meal goal, which translated to more than 4,000 meal kits. Each kit provided a family of four with three meals a day for three days, and included items from Target’s Archer Farms and Market Pantry owned brands, such as oatmeal, multigrain pasta and canned chunk white tuna.  I was really impressed with how organized the meal packing was!  Amazing how smoothly it worked!!  They had two packing sections on each end of the hall.

So how did it work?  First, when we were ready to start packing, we got in a line and were handed one of the boxes you see in the photo.  Then we took our box through the line where a Target employee would place whatever item they were responsible for in a predetermined spot inside the box.  We were basically the manual labor making it happen.  After passing through about 8 food stations, Target put a flyer in the box to tell the recipient where the box came from, and we handed it off to the Target tape brigade who taped it shut and got it loaded onto the semi truck trailer.  Really well organized – I was totally impressed how smoothly it all worked!

So after after box one, back in line to do the next one.  The wait got longer after each round for me but the music was cranking so I was dancing in line and saying hi to so many people I know from 15+ years working in the nonprofit and National Service field!  It was a total blast!

Target made it really fun every time a benchmark was reached – up on the jumbotrons they showed slides “25,000 meals packed” and the place erupted into loud cheers.  25,000, 50,000, 75,000, 100,000, 125,000…the cheering got louder each time as we neared the 150K goal.

From their press release, I learned that “Party for Good” is an extension of the Target Meals for Minds initiative.  Launched in May 2010, the innovative partnership with Feeding America and local food banks will bring food to schools to feed students and families most in need.  This fall, Target will expand Meals for Minds into more schools across the country to help nourish young minds and ease the impact of hunger on academic achievement. Target also is working with Feeding America to develop a toolkit to help hunger organizations expand these types of programs to assist more kids and families in need.  In 2010, Target has committed $3.5 million, through Target Meals for Minds and other school-based food programs, to combat the impact of hunger on a child’s learning, and the company is projected to donate more than 20 million pounds of food to children and families in need.”

Thanks, Target!  GREAT job!