Over 22,000 toys donated on behalf of PC Financial MasterCard cardholders
Copy and paste mstr.cd/1BEf2zN to your Twitter handle with #PricelessSurprises
TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2014 /CNW/ - MasterCard surprised six unsuspecting Calgary-area charities with a truckload of over 22,000 toys to top up their holiday drives.
Many Canadian families face the reality of going without the joy of gift-giving during the holiday season, and they turn to local support to help make the season bright. As a thank you to cardholders MasterCard delivered a truckload of surprises to help to bring cheer to families in need throughout the Calgary area.
During a weekend in November, shoppers who used their PC Financial MasterCard to make a purchase at select grocery stores where President's Choice® products are sold received a surprise message that toys were being donated to a charity on their behalf. MasterCard's Priceless Surprises partnered with PC Financial to make holiday wishes come true at some of Calgary's most essential charity services.
"Love @MasterCardCA #PricelessSurprises program. Toy donated to toy drive charity with use of the card. Very neat," said Linda Irwin on Twitter.
With the help of an 18-wheel transport truck decked with holiday lights, MasterCard employees made the surprise deliveries over five days. The unsuspecting charities all said the donation was the single largest they had ever received, with many charity employees noting the increased demand of families and people relying on charitable services this year.
"The holiday season is the perfect time to bring a bit of magic to the community heroes who make sure there is a warm meal on the table and gifts wrapped under the tree for those in need. We channeled the generosity of cardholders and our employees to really make an impact at each of the charities we visited," said Milos Vranesevic, Head of Marketing, MasterCard Canada.
The six charities include:
"You don't realize how much it's appreciated until you walk in, and you see not only the kids' faces light up, but when you see the parents at the house recognize that what they couldn't give their kids is now arriving," said Rick Hanson, Chief, Calgary Police Service. "On behalf of all of us here at Calgary Police service, all 2,700 members, we just want to say thank you for helping us make Christmas a lot better for a lot of kids and a lot of families in the city."
The video of the Priceless Surprises deliveries debuted today online and can be viewed here.
"In 16 years, I've never seen such a large donation. What a truly priceless moment," said Shirley Sangster, Volunteer, Magic of Christmas.
The Priceless Surprises program randomly surprises MasterCard cardholders with merchandise, tickets and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Canadian cardholders can increase their chances of being surprised by using their MasterCard card, engaging with @MasterCardCA and the #PricelessSurprises hashtag on Twitter and commenting on MasterCard Canada's Facebook page.
About MasterCard
MasterCard (NYSE: MA), www.mastercard.com, is a global payments and technology company. It operates the world's fastest payments processing network, connecting consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. MasterCard's products and solutions make everyday commerce activities – such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances – easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MasterCardNews, join the discussion on the Cashless Conversations Blog and subscribe for the latest news.
Video with caption: "The only thing better than receiving a Priceless Surprise is giving one. So on behalf of MasterCard Cardholders we surprised those who give back.". Video available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTSyypgWFlc&feature=youtu.be?=pr
SOURCE: MasterCard Canada
Miriam Sherkey, [email protected], 416-355-7410; Lauren Mostowyk, [email protected], 416-365-6697
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