Magnetic Yellow Ribbons: Who Benefits?

By Michele Blandino

Tony Orlando and Dawn introduced the yellow ribbon as a symbol of waiting with their 1970's hit song "Tie a Yellow Ribbon" (Around the Old Oak Tree). During the 1980's Gulf War, yellow ribbons popped up everywhere: around trees, street signs, telephone poles and on houses from coast to coast.

The Modern Version

With American troops once again fighting overseas, a new generation of ribbons has emerged, this time in the form of a magnetic loops that are displayed on seemingly every car. And, the ribbons are not only yellow; they come in red, white, and blue, camouflage, and just about every color in between.

A Patriotic Fund Raiser

What few people realize, however, is that the original concept came from a group of military wives living in North Carolina who were looking for a way to raise funds to send care packages to their spouses stationed overseas. The original magnets, which made their debut in the spring of 2003, were sold for $5 each. At least 80% of each magnet's price went directly to the benefit of the soldiers. Other organizations soon followed suit and sold the $5 magnets to raise money to benefit the families of war casualties, fill scholarship funds, and other philanthropic causes.

Unfortunately, the enormous popularity of the magnets has enabled some people not connected with the military to cash in. Before long, magnetic ribbons could not only be purchased from military organizations, but at convenience stores, car washes, and department stores nationwide. And, as would be expected, little, if any of the money made from the sale of these magnets is passed on to charity.

The Effects of Competition

Making things even worse for the charitable organizations is that the competitors are selling the magnets for as little as $1 each. As a result, people who are not aware of the magnet's original intent are, in most cases, opting for the cheaper versions. This means that the charities are selling fewer ribbons and collecting less money.

What You Can Do

To ensure your purchase directly benefits a charitable organization connected with our armed forces, ask the magnet's seller where the proceeds from the sale will be sent. Those that are legitimate will have no problem telling you where the money will go while those selling them merely for profit will likely not be able to provide a satisfactory answer.

Another way to tell if the magnet is being sold by a legitimate organization is to look at its thickness; the magnets offered for sale by the military organizations tend to be thicker and will hold up during inclement weather.