Philanthropy
Day 201: Could Searching and Shopping Change the World?
Apr 18th
What if you could help raise money for your favourite charity just by searching the internet?
Do you shop online? It seems an estimated 4.5 million people did on Christmas Day last year. What if a percentage of every dollar spent went to charity?
Could searching and shopping change the world? GoodSearch is certainly doing its best to do this.
Day 201: Give 201
GiveSearch gives back on a simple premise: You shop, you search, your charity gets a portion of the proceeds. Here is how it works taken directly from their site:
How does it work?
- On the GoodSearch homepage, choose from thousands of organizations or add your favourite cause to our list.
- Search the Internet just like you normally would — the site is powered by Yahoo!, so you’ll get high-quality search results.
- Fifty percent of the revenue generated from the sponsored search advertisers is shared with the charity, school or nonprofit organization of your choosing.
I gave it a try today. I chose Plan International as my charity as I think the work they do is changing the world especially child poverty in developing nations. I was able to do a search easily for many different charities and if your favourite isn’t listed you can “add a charity“. It must fit within the guidelines provided but the option to register your charity or suggest a new one is an option.
So how much money does a search or purchase raise? Each retailer offers a different percentage and they give from each purchase. The Gap donates 2.5% of the purchase while 1800Flowers donates 6.25%.
You will see from the chart below how much money to date is being donated to Plan International. It is only April so a long way to go before the end of the year.
| Month | Searches | $ Raised from Searches(1) | $ Raised from Shopping(2) | $ Raised from Bonus | Total (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5 | $0.05 | $0.25 | $0.30 | |
| February | 19 | $0.19 | $0.36 | $0.55 | |
| March | 17 | $0.17 | $0.45 | $0.62 | |
| April | 11 | $0.11 | $0.13 | $0.24 | |
| Total: Year-to-Date | 52 | $0.52 | $1.19 | $1.71 | |
| Total: Since Inception | 14586 | $177.86 | $20.10 | $1.00 | $198.96
|
If you want to GIVE every day this is any easy way to ensure that even when you don’t feel like you have time to give just download the tool bar and while you search / shop you are helping to give back. Choose one of the many ways you can help from their sight. Search, shop and share.
Time Commitment: 0 searching and shopping are part of my day- no extra time required
Cost: 0 Tools are free
Day 200: How is Giving Measured?
Apr 17th
I was told by my sister who is in visiting from California that this “give is lame.” It made me laugh as I told her it isn’t about the size of the give it was the intention that counted. Do you think that giving actually has a size? Is a $1,000,000 donation a big give coming from a billionaire that just has to right a cheque? Or is a give considered small when a poor family shares it’s only meal of the day with a neighbour. Is a volunteer that donates endless ours working for a not-for-profit contributing a huge amount or is a huge for-profit company that donates millions of dollars the big giver? Read on about my give today and let me know if you feel it’s worthy of calling a give or not. Comment directly, send me a tweet or facebook me a note and let me know what you think about the size of a give.
Day 200: Give 200
I feel like I should be opening a bottle of my favourite champagne after completing 200 days of giving. More importantly I feel like I am ready for the bottle after blogging every day for over 200 days. Then I remembered I have 156 to go and I put the champagne back in the fridge to stay cold. Onto day 200 of 365 days of giving back!
Do you remember those old pop up carnivals? One day a parking lot is empty and the next there is a Ferris wheel, roller coasters and games that children can spot 10 blocks away. One popped up at our local mall this weekend and my son was excited to join the fun and get on some rides. We had a great time. We bought a stack of tickets to get us on all the rides, played games that won lots of little bears and avoided the cotton candy and corn dogs. My 3 year old loved it all and left with tears in his eyes begging for just one more ride. I think we expired long before he did!
As we were leaving I realized I had just a few tickets left over that seemed silly to take home with me. Each ticket cost money and I wanted to “pay it forward” to a family or teenager that could get at least one ride with them. We were passing the ticket booth on our way out and a family, much like ourselves, were waiting to get their tickets. I handed them my last unused tickets with a big smile and told them to enjoy a ride on us. They were shocked and thankful as I walked away. I hope if they had any tickets left they will consider doing the same.
This “give” may not be considered “big.” Some may not consider it a give it all but I did. You can call it a “Random Act of Kindness“, a “Pay it Forward” act or I could just call it being thoughtful. Giving does come in many different ways but most importantly I did a give today. I passed something on that I considered to have value to another person with nothing but good intention to a complete stranger without asking for anything in return. If you gave your last dime to another person wouldn’t that be a huge donation since you don’t have another for yourself? Wouldn’t sharing the last plate of food you have in your home with a hungry neighbour be monumental since you know you have no more food in your future?
To me giving isn’t about size it’s about intention. Nike says “Just Do it” and I say “Just Give.” No matter how big or small you think it is take that moment in your day to be kind, compassionate or considerate to another human being. It’s that easy. I don’t have a $1,000,000 to give away but I don’t think my daily giving has less value than someone that does. Giving just means something different to each of us but ultimately size doesn’t matter at all.
Time Commitment: 1 minute
Cost: $7.00
Day 197: How “Gen Y” is Changing the World
Apr 14th
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCoX1B_yKyA&feature=player_embedded#at=12
I recently read a great article written by Sam Davidson on “Gen Y” or Echo Boomers. asking if they are going to change the world. The answer is simple – they are. It amazes me the number of organizations and individuals I come across that are either supporting the Gen Y generation to give or are Gen Y’s creating their own campaigns to create positive change in the world. My guest today is one of those people. I was happy to come across this organization called Youth Insight. This organization encourages and creates leaders in the “Gen Y” generation that are stepping up and going to countries all over the world to give back. They are helping schools and teaching children to dream and achieve their goals. My guest Elizabeth Liliana Angel, a youth leader, was part of a group of students that raised $125,000 to help a school in Tanzania. Here is her inspiring story on how she is giving back to the world. Thank you for sharing your story Elizabeth.
What are your children doing to give back?
Day 197: Give 197
I am a 21-year- old full-time college student, full-time employee, and a supporting and loving sister, cousin, friend, and leader. My name is Elizabeth Angel, and I have a story that I would like to share with you. Throughout my twenty-one odd years of experiences of life, love, giving, and joy I have learned so much about myself, and the unique talents and opportunities that I have to make a change in the world. My journey began about six years ago. After a painful family divorce, and challenging times in my life I was introduced to an organization dedicated to the development and empowerment of teenagers. The Teen Insight Program (now re-named Institute for Youth Leadership, part of the Continuing Education Division of Insight University) provides seminar-based learning opportunities teaching self-confidence, self-awareness, and heart-centered learning, along with communication and leadership skills.
I can easily say that Insight changed me, and ultimately changed my life. When I began taking Insight seminars I found a passion for sharing my love, talents, and experiences with others. I was also introduced to the concept that change begins with one person, and I found a fiery passion for being a catalyst for the movement of change in our world.
My friends and I felt that our giving could reach a grander scale a service project that would affect the global community. rs We provided the ideas, plans, dedication, energy, and desire to give back to our world. We partnered with Knock Foundation who worked in Moshi, Tanzania, Africa and decided to volunteer at their AIDS Orphanage (called Matumaini Childcare Organization), and Mrupanga primary school where the children attend. While many adults were skeptical about us reaching our fundraising goal of $125,000 in 2009, our spirits soared and our hard work showed our determination. By July of 2009 we had raised all of our money we needed to fund our service project, and in August of 2009 we spent two and a half life altering weeks in Africa. Upon departing with this wonderful land we knew that our giving was nowhere near completed and that some day we would return.
The time to return to Tanzania has arrived finally! We are going back in August with a new group of graduates from the Teen Leadership Program.
Despite the fact that my life is extremely hectic, I always find the time to give. I give smiles, love, and hugs on a daily basis. On days that I have more time in between work and homework assignments however, I spend my day leading fundraising events, gathering curriculum information for the English courses that I am helping to design for the kids in Africa, making bracelets for the kids at the school, and telling people about what I am doing.
These experiences have taught me the importance of what being a leader is. The function of a leader is to create and empower future leaders. The beauty in this life lesson is that it takes one person to be a leader, and one leader to start a movement of change. I hope that this story, my story, has conveyed the importance of being a leader in your life as well as the power of the gift of giving.
Giving, regardless of it size is a precious gift that can change anyone’s day. Just remember, the smile you give a stranger has the power to change their day.
Elizabeth Angel
A Leader in Life
What Are you Saying?