TOPS DEALS PHONE CARDS FOR CAUSE

JOEL ELSON

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Tops Friendly Markets here has teamed with its prepaid telephone card supplier in a cause-related promotion with the American Red Cross that runs through this month.

In the co-branded promotion, Tops will give 10% of the $19.99 retail on the 60-minute prepaid American Red Cross telecard to the Red Cross. Frontier Corp., Rochester, N.Y., coordinated the promotion and supplied the cards.

"Tops is pleased to be partnering with Frontier to assist such an important community asset as the American Red Cross, and we expect a sellout," said C. Douglas Hartmayer, the chain's director of community relations.

"The Red Cross is such an integral part of our everyday lives, it is paramount that we do what we can to ensure that they are properly funded, thus allowing them to provide their needed services," he added.

Tops began merchandising the prepaid cards Sept. 15 on spinner display stands at customer service centers at the chain's 73 stores.

The special version Red Cross prepaid card is priced the same as other 60-minute cards at Tops, Hartmayer said. And while Tops has run cause-related programs like this with groceries, "this seems part of a new generation of promotions for prepaid phone cards," the retailer noted.

Hartmayer said 30% of the recharging cost to purchase additional calling time on the cards will also be donated back to the Red Cross.

This is Frontier's first partnership with a not-for-profit organization, commented Kevin J. Bennis, the company's president.

The "collaboration with the Red Cross and Tops Markets mirrors Frontier's commitment to furthering the well-being and quality of life in the communities we serve," added Bennis. "By purchasing these cards, shoppers have the opportunity to help provide the resources to ensure the Red Cross can continue the work of helping communities," said Suzanne Cox Iglesias, the Red Cross vice president of marketing.