Supporting Troop Morale: Direct Mail Firm Donates Postcards to USO

Joy Gendusa, CEO of PostcardMania, is leading her pro-bono division in a new direction—the military. By partnering with the United Service Organization (USO), in Savannah, GA, Gendusa was able to show support for those going to Iraq during the last large deployment that occurred in August from the nation's largest military base in the Southeast.

When US troops deployed to Iraq from the Hunter Army Airfield, postcards were waiting for them to write to their loved ones one last time before they left for Iraq – soldiers were also able to take a few overseas to write home on later. The 18,000 postcards were designed and printed by PostcardMania’s pro-bono division. Gendusa set up a pro-bono division within her company to handle pro-bono work for non-profit organizations that have the purpose of assisting mankind to improve his lot and make the world a better place – the USO requested to take advantage of that service.

The USO asked PostcardMania to help following the USO's postcard pilot program last year. So many soldiers participated that USO volunteers had to run out to the dollar store for more postcards several times. There was such a need for postcards that the USO decided to look for a company with philanthropic roots to help them with their cause.

Since establishing her official pro-bono division within the company in late 2005, Gendusa has started to keep track of those cards printed for causes such as this. “While PostcardMania has been donating postcard campaigns for several years, I’ve only been tracking the amount for about the last two years. In that time frame, we’ve donated well over half a million cards.”

For the past 65 years, United Service Organizations have been helping troops and their families. Dedicated to bringing morale, these organizations have gone whenever and wherever called upon. The USO Council of Georgia, Inc. alone served 400,000 US Military service members and their families in 2006.

PostcardMania also donated the design and printing of 50,000 postcards for a Tampa Bay program called Postcards From Home during Christmas of last year in conjunction with country radio station 103.5FM. Troops overseas received the postcards, which were filled out by Tampa Bay citizens thanking them for their bravery and dedication.

“I think it’s important that businesses show their support for our troops. They are over there, away from home, for us, and it feels great to be able to give them something back,” said Gendusa.
 
About PostcardMania:
PostcardMania is a full service postcard direct mail marketing company which includes graphic design, printing, mailing list acquisition and mailing services with free marketing advice. PostcardMania employs over 150 people, has seen positive expansion every year since its inception and is currently on a 21 million-dollar-revenue run rate for 2007. They have won many awards for their creativity and marketing farsightedness, such as the MarCom International Awards, the Stevie Awards, the Inc 500 List, the Creativity Annual Awards and the Webmaster awards – all of which the underlying theme contributing to their accomplishments is helping companies all over the nation expand. They print 4 million and mail 2 million postcards representing over 350 business, finance and industrial clients each week. Visit www.postcardmania.com

If you would like to interview Joy Gendusa, CEO of PostcardMania, please email PostcardMania’s VP PR, Karla Jo Helms at karla_jo@postcardmania.com or by calling 800-628-1804 x 342.

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