Smart Circle International Employees Partner with Working Wardrobes to Bring Memorable Prom to Local High School Seniors

Marketing Leader to host dress drive to provide prom dresses, tuxedos for 150 young adults from low-income families

FOOTHILL RANCH, California – Smart Circle® International, the leader in referral-based marketing, announced today it will be hosting a “100 Dresses” drive from February 2-17, 2012 to collect donations for Working Wardrobes’ annual “Dream Girls and Distinguished Gentlemen” Prom Event. The dress drive will aim to collect 100 prom dresses and suits to bring 150 young adults from local low-income families a memorable prom experience. Smart Circle employee Josie Yerenas will also serve as a Community Volunteer at the annual event, which will be held on March 10^th at the Hilton Irvine.

“Prom is a right of passage for all high school students,” said Josie Yerenas, who is organizing the event for Smart Circle. “When I was in high school, particularly my senior year, there were only two events I thought about all day, everyday: graduation and my senior prom. I can’t even imagine these girls and boys sharing the same excitement I had for such a significant event and not being able to look the way they want to because they can’t afford something as simple as a dress or tux.  For many of us, a prom dress may be something we just have tucked away in our closets collecting dust, but for some of these seniors, that simple dress or tux can make their night.”

The dress drive will be held at Smart Circle’s corporate headquarters in Foothill Ranch. Employees will bring in an array of attire essentials for a prom celebration, including formal wear (e.g. tuxedos, prom dresses, dress shirts and heels) and accessories (e.g. purses, jewelry, bowties and cumber buns). Several employees have already donated dresses and shoes to the drive.

Following the drive, Yerenas will join 300 volunteers at Working Wardrobe’s Prom Event, which will provide 150 at-risk high-school seniors with a series of workshops and the opportunity to select their own dresses, tuxes, shoes and accessories for prom night. The workshops will cover topics such as etiquette and empowerment. Yerenas also volunteered at this event last year, where she served as a personal shopper, helping three girls select dresses, shoes and jewelry.

“Working Wardrobes not only allows seniors to find their dream gown or tux, but also provides these young adults with an event that both empowers and equips them with life and career development skills that they’ll carry with them for the rest of their lives,” said Erin Selawski, HR Manager at Smart Circle. “I am so excited to support such an impactful, life-changing event with these graduating seniors.”

Throughout the year, Smart Circle employees are actively involved in local charitable and community events. Smart Circle also provides generous donations to local, national and global organizations and foundations for a variety of causes, including medical, education, homelessness, and humanitarian concerns. This past December, Smart Circle adopted 17 local families in the Orange County area and held an in-house toy drive. By hosting toy and food drives and offering matching contributions to donations, the company hopes to inspire its employees to give back to the communities they serve, and foster a work environment where charity is encouraged and admired.

“I am constantly amazed by the generosity and giving spirit of our employees here at Smart Circle,” said Sharon Celis, HR Manager at Smart Circle. “We hope that this dress drive will both inspire involvement in future charitable initiatives and serve as memorable, life-changing experiences for our employees and the families they are serving.”

For the past 21 years, Working Wardrobes, based in Costa Mesa, CA, has provided career development and wardrobe services for men, women and young adults overcoming life’s most difficult challenges. The nonprofit organization supports individuals from Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego and the Inland Empire facing hardships such as homelessness, catastrophic illness, alcohol and substance abuse, traumatic financial losses, and more.

The Prom Event and Dress Drive program is now in its 12^th year. In addition to this event, the organization offers and hosts a variety of resources and events throughout the year, including a career development center, classroom training programs, “Day of Self Esteem” workshops, Success Events and a variety of fundraising activities to help increase its clients’ confidence and success in the workplace.  Through its programs and events, Working Wardrobes has transformed more than 50,000 lives.

About Smart Circle® International
Since 1989, Smart Circle has been the dominant force in referral marketing worldwide. Major companies across a number of industries, including consumer products, electronics, gourmet and specialty foods, home improvement, salons and spas, professional and independent sports teams, restaurants and area attractions, turn to Smart Circle International to build traffic, enhance brand loyalty, fill unused capacity and generate new customers. Smart Circle International reaches consumers face-to-face through its retail, event and community marketing networks. Smart Circle® International and The Smart Circle® are trademarks of Smart Circle International, LLC.

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As part of its ongoing commitment to give back to the communities and families it serves, Smart Circle® International is pleased to announce it has donated food, toys and clothing to 17 needy families in the Orange County area. Earlier this month, the referral-based marketing leader teamed up with the Laguna Relief and Resource Center to adopt 17 of the estimated 100 families in the center’s Annual Adopt-A-Family program. The company hosted an in-house toy drive and supplemented employee contributions to bring each family a brighter holiday season.

“The kindness and generosity of Smart Circle and its employees has brought holiday cheer to many children and struggling families,” said Andy Siegenfeld, Chairman of The Laguna Relief and Resource Center. “They were so warm and gracious, and the anticipation and joy of the families they adopted could be seen by all. I hope to collaborate again next year to bring more joy to our less fortunate friends and neighbors.”

Smart Circle collected dozens of toys and gifts from employee contributions to the in-house toy drive at its headquarters in Foothill Ranch. Contributions ranged from necessities such as school supplies, pots and pans, and clothing, to remote control Hummer cars and helicopters. The company supplemented the employee donations to fulfill the remaining wish lists, purchasing everything from train sets, jewelry and digital cameras, to clothing, Razor scooters and an ExerSaucer for one of the youngest family members. In addition to the toy and gift requests, Smart Circle provided each family with a $75 gift card to purchase groceries, and a $125 gift card to purchase new clothing and personal items from Target.

“In these challenging economic times, we wanted to able to provide families with everything they needed for a holiday celebration – from necessities for the New Year to toys from Santa” said Brooke Tyson, a project manager at Smart Circle who organized the event. “Seeing the gratitude and excitement on the families’ faces when we delivered their gifts made it all worthwhile.”

The company delivered presents for the majority of families directly to the Laguna Food Pantry in Laguna Canyon, which provides food, clothing and referral services for families who live and work in the South Orange Country area. For families who were unable to make the trip to the Pantry or lived a significant proximity away from the Center, Smart Circle employees delivered the presents personally to their houses.

Since delivering the presents, Smart Circle has received several cards and notes expressing gratitude from the children and families. Jesus Jr., 11, handed a Smart Circle employee a card that read, “Thank you for making this Christmas one of the best ones, and for the Christmas presents.” Another child, Vanessa, 9, wrote, “Thank you for making my Christmas special.” Siegenfeld reported that many of the families brought in homemade tamales for Smart Circle and the employees at the Food Pantry to show their appreciation.

The holiday “Season of Giving” may be coming to a close, but Smart Circle’s charitable efforts will continue far into the New Year. The company provides generous donations and matching employee contributions to local and national foundations and non-profits throughout the year. By hosting toy and food drives and offering matching contributions to donations, the company hopes to inspire the spirit of giving and community involvement in its employees, and foster an environment where charity is encouraged and admired.

“This is a time of year when we should think about giving and of others who are less fortunate,” said Erica Manthey, Compliance Manager at Smart Circle. “I am proud to work with an organization that was able to bring Christmas joy to 17 families who would have otherwise done without this year, and I look forward to helping with any of the other community reach programs that Smart Circle anticipates being involved in throughout 2012.”

Since 1993, the Laguna Relief and Resource Center, also known as The Laguna Food Pantry, has provided support services and emergency need to low-income and homeless families in Laguna Beach in a way that encourages self-sufficiency and inspires independence. The Center annually sponsors and supports an Adopt-A-Family program for local families who live or work in Laguna Beach, as well as a year round Food Pantry and Resource Center five days a week. The families matched with Smart Circle all resided close to the company’s headquarters in communities such as Lake Forest, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo.

To learn more about Smart Circle’s Adopt-A-Family initiative, see Barbara Diamond’s article “Christmas Cheer Comes to Adopted Families” in the Coastline Pilot. Smart Circle was also featured in Laguna Food Pantry’s “Thank You” ad in Stu News Laguna (http://stunewslaguna.com/), a local Laguna Beach newspaper.

About Smart Circle® International
Since 1989, Smart Circle has been the dominant force in referral marketing worldwide. Major companies across a number of industries, including consumer products, electronics, gourmet and specialty foods, home improvement, salons and spas, professional and independent sports teams, restaurants and area attractions, turn to Smart Circle International to build traffic, enhance brand loyalty, fill unused capacity and generate new customers. Smart Circle International reaches consumers face-to-face through its retail, event and community marketing networks. Smart Circle® International and The Smart Circle® are trademarks of Smart Circle International, LLC.

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Smart Circle Steps Up Efforts to Make Holidays Special for 17 Adopted Families

The Smart Circle elves have been hard at work gathering gifts and holiday cheer for the company’s 17 adopted families through the Laguna Relief and Resource Center’s annual Adopt-A-Family program. Through an in-house toy drive, all-day shopping trips, and present-wrapping that extended into the wee hours of the morning, the elves have successfully gathered gifts for the 86 parents and children of these families.

Throughout the month of December, Smart Circle employees were greeted each morning by a festive cardboard toy house, which was set up in the lobby of the company’s Foothill Ranch headquarters for the in-house toy drive. The house, which was adorned with tinsel and drawings by Smart Circle employees, was quickly filled to the brim with toys and other necessities as eager employees sought to fulfill each family’s wish list. Employee contributions ranged from necessities such as school supplies, pots and pans, and clothing, to fun toys such as remote control helicopters and cars and Barbie dolls. The spirit of giving quickly spread through the building, with employees expressing excitement at watching the house fill up more and more each day.

Following the toy drive, the Smart Circle elves braved the bustling shopping malls to supplement and fulfill the remaining wish list. The elves searched far and wide for the requested toys, which included a train set, a digital camera, razor scooters, skateboards, dolls, and games. The elves even picked up an ExerSaucer for one of the youngest children. Jewelry, clothes and housewares were selected for the parents, and clothing or gift cards were purchased for the older children.

Through the donations and supplement company contributions, Smart Circle has collected more than two toys or gifts per child for each family, as well as presents for each of the parents. The elves stayed up until the wee hours of the morning to wrap each gift with care, and began delivering the presents to the families this week.

Visit the Smart Circle website (www.smartcircle.com) next week to find out more about this exciting initiative.

Marketing Leader Adopts 17 Orange County-Based Families Through Laguna Relief & Resource Center’s Adopt-A-Family Program

Smart Circle® International, the leader in referral-based marketing, has joined together with the Laguna Relief & Resource Center to bring joy to local families this holiday season. The company announced today that it has “adopted” 17 families in the Orange County area through the non-profit organization’s annual Adopt-A-Family program. The company will provide all the necessities for a holiday celebration, including food, new clothing, personal items, and toys for the children.

“The Resource Center is overwhelmed by Smart Circle’s generosity and sense of community,” said Andrew Siegenfeld, Chairman of the Laguna Relief & Resource Center. “We are grateful to be partnering with an organization so dedicated to caring for its neighbors.”

To support the initiative, Smart Circle will hold an in-house toy drive for employees at its headquarters in Foothill Ranch. Employees will be encouraged to donate toys and other gifts for the children throughout the month, with the goal of collecting 96 presents for the families. Smart Circle will supplement the employee contributions to ensure that each child in the adopted families receive at least two new toys or gifts. Each family will also receive a $75 gift card to purchase groceries, and another $125 gift card to purchase clothing or personal items from a major retailer such as Wal-Mart.

Each year, the Laguna Relief & Resource Center in Laguna Beach, CA sponsors or supports an Adopt-A-Family program for low-income local families who live or work in Laguna Beach. Since 1993, the organization has brought those in need together with the network of resources and agencies available in the community. The organization provides food, clothing and services for families during tough financial times and natural disasters. In addition to the annual Adopt-A-Family program, the organization provides a year round food  pantry and resource center for the homeless five days a week.

The families participating in this year’s Adopt-A-Family were selected by volunteers at the food bank. As frequent visitors to the food bank, they were deemed by the volunteers as having the most need. The families matched with Smart Circle reside close to the company’s headquarters in communities such as Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, and Mission Viejo.

Brooke Tyson, who is organizing the event for Smart Circle, said, “We feel it’s important to give back to our local community. While many think Orange County is a bounty of excess, that is not the reality for everyone. With the current state of the economy, many families who used to just barely get by are no longer able to make ends meet.  If we can help some of them give their families a Christmas they otherwise wouldn’t have been able to have, we are thrilled to do so.”

Smart Circle is dedicated to the communities and families it serves. The company provides generous contributions to local and national foundations throughout the year, and many of its employees are active volunteers and participants in local events and charities.

“We are always looking for new ways to encourage our employees to give back to their local communities and causes they feel strongly about, especially during the season of giving,” said Sharon Celis, HR Director at Smart Circle. “We hope this toy drive and Adopt-A-Family initiative will not only brighten the lives of these families matched with Smart Circle, but also inspire community involvement now and into the New Year.”

Smart Circle Gives Back to Schools this Holiday Season

Company provides matching contribution to SchoolPower in Laguna Beach

During this season of giving, Smart Circle announced it has donated to SchoolPower, the Laguna Beach Education Foundation, to help support Laguna Beach public schools’ valued educational programs and resources. The contribution was a company match to a donation made by Brooke Tyson, a member of Smart Circle’s IT team, to the organization.

SchoolPower, governed by a board of parent trustees, is the oldest non-profit education foundation in Orange County and has been dedicated to raising money for Laguna Beach public schools since 1981. The organization raises money for four Laguna Beach schools – El Morro Elementary, Top of the World Elementary, Thurston Middle School and Laguna Beach High School. A portion of their proceeds also sustains the SchoolPower Endowment Foundation, which supports the Teacher Grant Program.

Smart Circle is dedicated to the communities it serves, and is always looking for new ways to encourage community involvement and ignite the spirit of giving in its employees. For years, the company has contributed to a variety of organizations and foundations, and many of its employees are active volunteers and participants in local events and charities.

Smart Circle® International Celebrates Success at R&R Weekend 2011

Marketing Expert Recognizes Top Leaders and Promotes Networking, Team Building

Smart Circle® International, the leader in referral-based marketing, held its annual R&R Weekend for Independent Corporate Distributors (ICD’s) on November 19 – 21, 2011 at the El Conquistador Resort in Puerto Rico. Attendees participated in award sessions, networked with fellow ICD’s and enjoyed a myriad of recreational activities. Due to the company’s exponential growth and expansion this year, Smart Circle held two sessions in order to accommodate all guests.

The award sessions recognized top performers in areas such as consistency, management, administration and comeback. In addition to performance recognition, the sessions included inspirational speeches, including a speech by Bill Rancic, winner of The Apprentice: Season One. Smart Circle’s DIRECTV Division also announced prize giveaways, including $1,000 cash prizes, 42” 3-D TVs and Vizio Soundbars.

The speeches offered words of encouragement and motivation to the ICD’s. Bill Rancic focused his on the entrepreneurial spirit, discussing how to seize opportunity, realize potential and achieve success. Quoting Ralph Waldo Emerson’s line “Always do what you’re afraid of,” he argued that attendees must be willing to take risk, manage it and convert it to success. There are only two natural fears – falling and loud noises – all others can be learned and can be conquered. He encouraged attendees to make sacrifices, risk to bring their ideas to life, and control their own destinies.

Rancic also described how his “why not me” mindset has led him to success. Though he had not come from a wealthy family, he saw other successful people and thought “Why not me? If they can do it, I can do it.” He also provided insight into the necessity of adapting – to modify a business according to cultural and societal changes. Finally, he encouraged attendees to use the “marathon concept” in their endeavors: to envision the end goal, but set mini goals along the way.

Outside of the sessions, attendees engaged in recreational and relaxation activities offered by the El Conquistador Resort. Guests had the opportunity to take a private yacht from the hotel to Palomino Island, where they participated in activities from horseback riding and water sports, to hiking and swimming. To cool off from the humidity, guests visited the Coqui Water Park, where they rode slides or moseyed along the lazy river; or spent the day by the resort’s multiple pools and spas. Other outdoor activities included a bioluminescent night kayak tour, rainforest hike, fishing and golf.

The resort also offered an abundance of other amenities and activities, including a casino, the Golden Door Spa, shopping outlets and a private marina. ICD’s also participated in teamwork, mentorship and relationship building activities.

About Smart Circle® International

Since 1989, Smart Circle has been the dominant force in referral marketing worldwide. Major companies across a number of industries, including consumer products, electronics, gourmet and specialty foods, home improvement, salons and spas, professional and independent sports teams, restaurants and area attractions, turn to Smart Circle International to build traffic, enhance brand loyalty, fill unused capacity and generate new customers. Smart Circle International reaches consumers face-to-face through its retail, event and community marketing networks. Smart Circle® International [http://www.smartcircle.com] and The Smart Circle® are trademarks of Smart Circle International, LLC.

Smart Circle works with numerous sports teams to drive ticket sales and help increase revenue. Here’s a testimonial from our work with the NY Red Bulls, a professional soccer team representing the New York City metropolitan area.

We want to thank you and your staff for an outstanding job of helping us promote and sell New York Red Bulls soccer tickets this season.  Your team – from sellers to customer service – has shown professionalism and skill, making it a wonderful experience and producing outstanding results.

Most of all, we want to thank you for bringing in a great amount of new fans to our new Arena  that I don’t know we could have reached without your help.

We look forward to continuing our relationship this season and building an even more successful campaign for seasons to come.

Director, Sales & Fan Services

New York Red Bulls