Target’s team is playing a vital role in helping families cope with the coronavirus pandemic, helping them get the food, medicine, baby products and essentials they need. We’re proud and humbled by our team’s heroic efforts over the last few weeks—and as they continue taking care of our guests, Target remains committed to supporting our team members. Today, we announced that we’re investing more than $300 million in added wages, a new paid leave program, bonus payouts and relief fund contributions.
Increasing wages and taking extra care
First, we’re continuing to make efforts to support our front-line teams. All full-time and part-time hourly team members working in stores and distribution centers will receive a $2-per-hour wage increase through at least May 2. Further, U.S. team members who are 65 or older, pregnant or who have underlying medical conditions as defined by the CDC now have access to paid leave for up to 30 days if they prefer not to work. These investments are on top of millions of dollars we’ll be paying out for the first time to some 20,000 hourly store team leads.
“With each passing day, it’s clearer how indispensable our team is to communities across the country as our guests cope with the coronavirus,” says Brian Cornell, Target’s CEO. “Increasing their compensation for a job incredibly well done and ensuring continued compensation for those who need to care for themselves and their families is a reflection of our company’s values and simply the right thing to do.”
A further commitment to teams and our communities
For team members and communities that need extra resources in challenging times like this, Target and the Target Foundation will be giving $10 million to expand relief and assistance to our team members, as well as local, national and global organizations responding to the pandemic.
“Families across the country are counting on Target in so many ways during this pandemic, and our team has been nothing short of remarkable,” Brian says. “The commitments we’re making today will provide additional resources for our most valuable asset—our team—and additional contributions will help support the critical work of our partners in communities impacted by the coronavirus.”
The $10 million donation—Target’s largest ever to a single relief effort—will support efforts in four areas:
- Team Members – $1 million will go to our Target Team Member Giving Fund to assist team members who are most impacted. On top of that, Target will match up to an additional $1 million in contributions from fellow team members who wish to assist their colleagues in need. The fund was created in 2018 to help our team members weather unexpected financial hardships. Since then, it’s already helped hundreds of team members and their families through life-threatening illnesses, natural disasters and more.
- Local Communities – $5 million will be committed to state and local community foundations supporting nonprofit organizations addressing the greatest needs in their area, including vulnerable populations such as underrepresented communities.
- National Organizations – $3 million will support national nonprofits such as Feeding America and others, assisting with response and recovery for affected communities.
- Global Response – $1 million will support organizations such as UNICEF and others, helping provide critical medical equipment and supplies to regions around the world.
Learn more and see the growing list of grant recipients
In addition, our Target Circle members can assist in supporting their local communities and nonprofits, directing Target’s giving to have a positive impact in their community. And as worldwide response efforts continue, Target will stay close to our team and partners to provide additional assistance as needed.
Read more about the work we do every day to help build a better tomorrow. For the latest information about Target's response to the coronavirus, please visit our coronavirus information hub.
This article was originally published on March 20, 2020 and was last updated on April 17, 2020.
