They say it’s better to give than receive, but nothing beats being able to do both at the same time. That’s exactly what the Glennon Card program allows St. Louisans to do every fall. By purchasing a $60 card, you unlock a 20% discount at more than 300 local shops, restaurants and other service providers. All proceeds from card sales directly support the young patients at SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital.
The Glennon Card initiative is presented by the Glennon Guild, a women’s auxiliary. The group was established in 1957, and for 65 years, it has been dedicated to providing the resources to meet Cardinal Glennon’s greatest needs. “As well as organizing fundraising initiatives like Glennon Card, our efforts include volunteering and donating supplies directly to the hospital,” co-president Julie Holland explains. “Our initiatives impact so many different programs at Cardinal Glennon—from child life services to new technology.”
This year’s Glennon Card shopping period is Oct. 14 to 23. Cards can be purchased online in digital or paper versions, or they are available at select retailers. Glennon Guild co-president Laura Baylis is excited for people to take advantage of this unique opportunity to support local businesses while giving back to Cardinal Glennon. “It’s really a win-win-win situation,” she says. “The retailers win because it brings them business, the card buyers win because they get the discount, and the hospital wins because it benefits from the funds raised by the card sales. We’ve been doing this for more than a decade, and it’s really great to see businesses getting involved again after the pandemic.”
The Glennon Card program has supported initiatives like Cardinal Glennon’s milk lab, the Reach Out and Read program, the 3D Printing Center of Excellence, Danis Pediatric Center and a number of enhancements to patient areas and different programs at the hospital. Through other fundraisers, Glennon Guild has supported the hospital’s music therapy program, the Sleep Lab and the palliative care program, Footprints. “Cardinal Glennon has so many diverse needs, and through Glennon Card alone, we’ve been able to donate more than $2 million to help support patients,” co-president Meg Terry notes. “It’s neat that we can reach so many different parts of the hospital through our efforts.”
On Sept. 27, Glennon Guild is offering an early shopping opportunity through the Glennon Card Shoppes Boutique. From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., people can visit Hilton St. Louis Frontenac to shop from 30 vendors who will honor the 20% Glennon Card discount. “We have vendors specializing in everything from clothing and jewelry to home goods, plants and food,” says event co-chair Kim Gorman. “Many of them are online businesses, so this a rare opportunity to shop their merchandise in person.” The hotel’s onsite restaurant, Provinces Grill, also will be offering the discount for lunch and dinner that day. Glennon Cards will be available for purchase onsite or can be obtained ahead of time at glennoncard.org.
Photo courtesy of SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation
