Red Cross Wins 26% of $3 Million Pie; Target Adds Nearly 100,000 New Facebook Fans

Earlier this week, Target gave Facebook's 200 million users a chance to support their favorite nonprofits through the social network - and they took it, in a big way.

Through a challenge called "Bullseye Gives," Target gave Facebook users the power to determine how it would distribute $3 million among 10 nonprofits, including BSD client the American Red Cross. The more votes a nonprofit received, the bigger slice of the $3 million pie it would win. Users could vote once every 24 hours over a period of two weeks.

To help the Red Cross motivate supporters to vote early and often, BSD's motion graphics samurai created the video below. It illustrates how users' clicks on Facebook in support of the Red Cross would directly translate to life-changing help for thousands of people every year:

The Red Cross finished with 26% -- nearly $800,000 -- of the $3 million pie.

Earlier today, Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross sent this message to supporters:

Because of you, victims of disasters will get crucial help in their time of need, military members and their families will be connected during a personal crisis, children will be vaccinated against deadly diseases, patients will receive potentially life-saving blood transfusions--and much more.

As votes for the Red Cross poured in during the contest last week, Erin McMullen, a supporter from Albany, wrote on our Facebook page: "I love how the Red Cross family sticks together!"

We so appreciate your being a part of that family, and for making our work possible.

Congratulations to the Red Cross staff, volunteers, and supporters who rallied together to achieve this impressive result.

And finally, kudos to Target. Not only for giving people beyond its boardroom the power to decide where to direct its philanthropic donations, but also for garnering nearly 100,000 new Facebook fans through savvy use of social networking. 

We hope this is just the beginning of companies' efforts to use social media not just for their own benefit, but for the benefit of those whose lives are changed by charities like the American Red Cross every day of the year.