I don’t usually use Twitter to shame companies, but @Target, you really crossed a line today. Your policies and inability to be flexible during an urgent crisis means children will go hungry tonight, and again tomorrow while stores are closed.

The children I care for in #NewOrleans are ineligible for food stamps + many lack transportation to access food pantries.Their parents are unemployed and the kids don’t have food. We urgently mobilized donation funds to help these families with food, medication, diapers and more.

Given the urgent nature and variety of stores which these families live near, we set out to purchase @Visa prepaid cards to deliver urgently and meet the needs of each family. Each family has young children and needs food today. Some need medications and other supplies.

Apparently there is a limit to how much can be spent in $ per person/day on @visa gift cards- an @Target policy, despite the abundance of cards. I could only purchase 1/3 of what we needed. No manager was willing to brainstorm ways to override this policy during a time of crisis.

And so, these families will not receive the help they need today or tomorrow. We had funds ready to go from generous individuals who have stepped up to help because there is not enough help for families.Your policies will keep food off of the table of these kids this Easter wknd.

This crisis has required creative compassion to help our communities while also staying safe. Making multiple trips to the store to make these purchases is also not safe right now. The manager told me to come back on Monday, 2 days from now.

We must do better. We are all trying to help one another and look out for our most vulnerable. That needs to include major corporations, too, who can also learn to use creativity and flexibility to pitch in.