This Valentine's Day --

                                     Give from your heart...

                                                            and double your impact!

The Dakota Medical Foundation (DMF) wants to inspire you to giveback to valuable organizations in our community.  On Tuesday, February 14th, the DMF will match online donations made through the Impact Foundation for the 5th Annual Giving Hearts Day.  CHARISM is delighted to once again be selected to participate in this opportunity, and we invite you to join us in giving from the heart.

With your help, CHARISM can raise a tremendous amount of funding to support our programs helping underprivileged and at-risk children and families in Fargo.  Because of the unique opportunity to have your contribution doubled by the DMF, on this day you can turn your $20 donation into $40 or your $500 donation into $1,000 -- helping to increase the positive impact we are able to have on those in need in our community.  Moreover, if we are one of the top seven organizations to receive the most online donations, we will receive additional funding from the DMF!

Donating through the Giving Hearts Day event is easy!

• Go online on Tuesday, February 14, 2012 between 12:00 am and 11:59 pm Central Time.

• Go to the Impact Foundation website (http://www.impactgiveback.org).

• Click on Giving Hearts Day.

• Make a tax-deductible donation to CHARISM of $10 or greater.

• If you would like to use this donation as a tribute to another or as a Valentine's Day gift, the website will provide an option for you to send an e-card announcing the gift you made in their honor.

• The DMF will provide match funding to CHARISM up to $4,000

• CHARISM must raise at least $2,500 to trigger fund matching through the DMF.

But wait!  There's more!

CHARISM loves Giving Hearts Day -- it's a really great time to get our mission out and we love to have our children, families, and supporters (like you!) get involved in the fun!  You might remember last year's flashmob at West Acres... well, this year we are teaming up with the Fargo Public Library to have a Read-a-Thon at the Dr. James Carlson Library in South Fargo on Monday, February 13.  From open to close, we will have people reading in the CHARISM room to raise awareness about Giving Hearts Day and CHARISM's literacy programs for at-risk youth.  Email Melissa for more details or to be one of our core volunteers for the Read-a-Thon -- or just set aside a little time on Monday, February 13 to grab a favorite book and hang out at the library... you never know who you might find reading!

Thank you for giving from the heart!