Wilmington Target director supports $10K community giveback effort

NEW HANOVER COUNTY (WWAY) — It’s Women’s History Month, and WWAY wants to salute a business leader who runs a large retail company location that sells a lot of little things to help non-profit organizations throughout the Cape Fear.

“Target is a big-box company, but Wilmington is Cape Fear,” said Shemeka Kemp.

Shemeka Kemp is the Store Director for the Wilmington Target, which utilizes its nationwide reach to target local organizations. 

“We lean very, very heavily towards the community, but our actual community is important too. We lean heavily towards non-profits because we know that is the bread and butter of our community,” said Kemp.

For the next two days, Target will donate up to $10,000 to the Cape Fear non-profits voted on by the community as part of the Target Circle Community Giving Program.

“Every time the Target 360 applicants use that app, the community also gets the rewards,” said Kemo.

One non-profit benefitting from the event is StepUp Wilmington, helping job seekers in the community.

“We’ve been in the Wilmington area for over 20 years, serving individuals who are actively seeking work to get them into meaningful careers,” said Savvy Ahlgrim.

Senior Program Director Savvy Ahlgrim says the organization provides job readiness support for youth and adults.

“We do that by providing workshop series for both youth and adults. Our workshops cover everything you need to know to get a job, and so that’s how to put together a resume, how to start networking in the community, how to market yourself,” said Ahlgrim.

Kemp says the partnership is especially meaningful, noting StepUp’s broader community impact.

“We actually have StepUp employees that work at Target. We also have contributed to StepUp, and that’s an organization, a non-profit organization, that’s near and dear to my heart because they also stretch their arms out to other organizations like The Warming Shelter,” said Kemp.

Ahlgrim says the community support is essential to their mission.

“We are just overwhelmed with gratitude for the support of our community. We all believe in what we’re doing, and we’re glad that that community is also gathering together to recognize and support us in the work that we are doing here,” said Ahlgrim.

Target Circle members can find more specific details about Circle deals on the Circle 360 app.

Details on StepUp Wilmington’s largest fundraiser event can be found on their website at https://www.stepupwilmington.org/luncheon.