Is Target off target with foundation faux pas?

Key members of the chancellor’s office at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith are puzzled about the community investment program touted by Target.

As Minneapolis, Minn.-based Target Corp. prepared to open its new store in Fort Smith, it mailed an advertising circular to people in the Fort Smith market area telling them of the Oct. 12 opening and explaining how shopping at Target can help the local community.

The circular noted: “You’ll love getting to know your new Fort Smith Target. Simply by shopping with us you do good in the community. That’s because we give 5% of our income — over $3 million every week — to education, arts and social services organizations, including the University of Central Arkansas Foundation and the Fort Smith Police Department.”

The FSPD is understandable. But the University of Central Arkansas? That university is based in Conway.

Dr. Arleene Breaux, vice chancellor for university relations/executive assistant to the chancellor at UAFS, said she placed numerous phone calls in the past three weeks to Target officials — including calls to the cell phone of the Fort Smith Target store manager.

“We’ve got nothing,” Breaux said Friday (Nov. 7) when asked about a response.

The City Wire was able to contact a spokeswoman at Target Corp. When it was explained that the University of Central Arkansas is not in Fort Smith, the spokeswoman said community relations and communications people at Target would be made aware of the issue.

“It’s quite possibly a misprint,” said a spokeswoman who would not provide a name or title.

The spokeswoman would not speculate about the UAFS foundation being included in Target’s community program. She did say she would call back “sometime next week” with clarification.

Stay tuned.