#52Tuesdays: Charlotte Yard Cards Brings the Joy and the GOOD
Kerri Wallace is passionate about supporting Charlotte nonprofits. So when November rolled around, she decided to use her business to spread the word about #GivingTuesdayCLT in an ALL CAPS way. Literally.
Charlotte Yard Cards is a local, family-run business that brings joy to others by surprising people of all ages with customized messages on their front lawns. Imagine waking up on your tenth birthday to spot "HAPPY DOUBLE DIGITS" in giant letters in front of your house. Or coming home from a military deployment to find a unique welcome message waiting for you.
Or, if you're SHARE Charlotte, imagine getting the chance to get people all around Charlotte excited about #GivingTuesdayCLT. In a world full of distractions, Charlotte Yard Cards got people talking, googling, and participating in #GivingTuesdayCLT.
It's hard to ignore a giant #WHATSYOURGIFT on the lawn of the Starbucks at Waverly in South Charlotte. The #GIVEGOODCLT&BLOOD" was an attention-getting sign for the blood drive at the Johnston YMCA in NoDa. And who wouldn't do a double take at the THANKS4GIVING planted on the lawn of a prominent Queens Road West estate?
When #GivingTuesdayCLT was wrapping up, Charlotte Yard Cards helped us celebrate the 141,000 Acts of GOOD and $4.1 million financial impact of #GivingTuesdayCLT at Charlotte's 250th birthday party.
Celebrating the GOOD in life is what got Kerri Wallace into the yard card business in the first place. "I love waking up to a video of someone discovering their sign. Doing this brings me just as much joy as it does to the people being surprised," says Kerri, who purchased the business in 2018 and operates it with her husband and their 14 and 16 year old children.
As a former business liaison for SHARE Charlotte, Kerri didn't have to think twice about using her unique niche for the GOOD of her community. "I think it's part of our responsibility as citizens of this community to be involved and support the people who live here in any way we can, whether it's financially, giving time, or by connecting with other people," says Kerri.
Like any act of GOOD, Kerri found the experience richly rewarding. "I loved being able to go to different areas of Charlotte that I'd never been to before," she says. Kerri and her son installed a #GivingTuesdayCLT sign at Renaissance West, and she was amazed by the holistic community redevelopment project. "What a blessing to have something like that here in Charlotte," says Kerri.
Kerri says every sign tells a story. Thanks to Charlotte Yard Cards, the story of #GivingTuesdayCLT had a very happy ending.
Follow Charlotte Yard Cards on Instagram and Facebook to see Kerri and her family's joyful work. Want to bring some joy to a loved one? Order a message at charlotteyardcards@yahoo.com or 704.942.7539.
Grace Kennedy is a Huntersville-based writer specializing in storytelling for nonprofits. Learn more at gracekennedy.net.