"Even A Little Can Help A Lot Now" - American WWII 1942 War Bonds Poster by Parker

Source: Esty

While father is away fighting in battle, mother and daughter do their share in the war effort by purchasing U.S. War Stamp Bonds in this 1942 poster entitled, Even A Little Can Help A Lot Now, by Alfred Parker. The artwork was sponsored by Ladies' Home Journal, a leading magazine at the time. The United States Treasury Department began to issue a series of war savings stamps in late 1942. These war savings stamps earned no interest, but were collected in a booklet to redeem a Series E War Bond.

The artwork specifically depicts War Stamps to benefit the Mennonite Central Committee, which offered red Civilian Public Service stamps and blue War Sufferers' Relief stamps worth ten cents each. These stamps were issued as an alternative to Mennonites that could not support the Red Cross. Similar War Stamp programs were created for other religious sects to help in the war effort.

Al Parker (1906-1985) was an American artist and illustrator known for his diversity of technique and content. He created over 50 covers for the Ladies' Home Journal, as well as many illustrations for the major magazines of the time. Later on he was known for producing a series of Grand Prix auto racing paintings for Sports Illustrated. He was elected to the Society of Illustrators' Hall of Fame in 1965. A stamp commemorating his art was issued by the United States Postal Service in 2001 as part of the American Illustrators Issue series.