The New Orleans Saints were not the only winners this Super Bowl season. Thanks to the innovative “Target Super Senders” Facebook campaign, two of First Book’s great nonprofit partners were also big winners.

The campaign, which kicked-off on January 31 and concluded on Valentine’s Day, invited the online community and Facebook users to visit facebook.com/Target and help choose how five national charities would receive a portion of $1 million from Target to fund educational programming. Fans were able to send Valentine’s Day inspired e-cards to friends and family. With more than 26,000 total votes tallied and cards sent, Target will donate a portion of the $1 million to each of the below charities based on their percentage of votes throughout the campaign, which included:

• United Through Reading^® Military Program – 22% = $220,000
• United Way – 9% = $90,000
• Kids In Need Foundation – 12%= $120,000
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital^® – 49% = $490,000
• The Salvation Army – 8 percent of votes = $80,000

First Book is always excited to see our great nonprofit partners awarded for their tremendous efforts to help provide equality in educational resources to children in need. Target is also a supporter of First Book and we love to tout their commitment to and support of so many outstanding nonprofit organizations.

First Book and the United Way have been working together for years in over 75 communities to place new books into the hands of the kids they serve. United Way will use the funds to help children enter school ready to learn, read proficiently by 4^th grade and graduate on time. United Through Reading is a new First Book national nonprofit partner, through their work with the USO. The United Through Reading Military Program will use the funds to help deployed military men and women stay connected to their families by sending DVD’s of themselves reading books to their children and families back home. First Book is working with United Through Reading and USO to ensure that all the DVDs are accompanied with the actual book to be sent home to the child to cherish and learn from.

Congratulations to the “Who Dat” nation and all five fantastic charities that participated in the Target Super Senders campaign.  Keep up the great work and keep spreading the love!

PS- As a gal that grew up in Indiana it’s hard to congratulate the team that beat my beloved Colts in the Superbowl, but they lost to a stand up team and city.  Congrats, New Orleans!